Rejoice
by SAmaster01
Summary: Since Rose is a Hero, what kind of hero would she turn out to be? Rose finally catches up with her little brother, just as he is writing his memoirs. Then the council of 12 come. Good Sparrow, needs of the Few. Based on a quote my mom once told me.
1. The Hero's Memoirs

The Hero's Memoirs

_"Fret not that the Roses have thorns, rejoice that the thorns have Roses."_

- My mom.

_For the sake of history, I should record as many details in my life as possible. Since I want people to read this and _not_ be bored to tears, I'll paraphrase._

_How should I start? Many people around Albion will simply call me Hero. Sounds better than how my wife and daughter call me. They don't insult my you little blighters if that's what your thinking. To be honest, I didn't start off with much. Not even a last name. I was an orphan. _

_Eventually I did make a name for myself. Literally. After I had _survived_ the Crucible, some of locals began calling me Lionheart. I liked the name._

_Let me start from the begging. My first name is Sparrow. Not really epic poetry from what I've heard from my friend Roland the roaming bard, but really, It was all I ever had. When my deeds became known, I could have started anew. I could have been anyone I wanted. But I could not bear with severing the last connection to my sister._

"Excuse me mister?"

The butler, who had been standing for so long at the doors that he had fallen asleep (Useful skill for a butler) opened his eye and looked at the speaker.

She was a young girl, no more than thirteen years of age, covered in rags. She looked like she came from the bad side of town.

"Yes miss?" The butler asked both politely and rudely at the same time. (As is custom when speaking with anyone not your superior.)

"I'm looking for my kid brother." The kid told the man. "A friend of a friend told me that he's been living here."

"I see."

_My sister. Rose was her name. That is really where my story starts. I was known simply as Sparrow, to the few guards that were nice to us street rats, some of the nicer kids, some of the lowlier gang members, and of course to Rose. _

"Well, if that's the case young miss, I'd have to take you to the Lord of the castle. I'm sure he can point you in the right direction." The butler said. "Follow me.

_I have a few memories from before we were orphaned. A beautiful farm, endless sunshine, cozy winter nights by a fireplace, bedtime stories. However, there is a particular memory of long ago that almost lost it's meaning._

_Back then I didn't know what it meant, but it was a winter when I must have been, oh... six years old maybe? Regardless, I remember an endless wait. Probably for our parents, though I've lost any recollection of them. Something about bandits attacking, the surname Impatient comes to mind for some reason._

The girl just stared in awe as she walked through the castle. Trophies of battles, and jewels from foreign countries seemed to be placed wily nily, as though the owner had just wanted to find a place to put them, or hold them for a while. As she walked down a corridor, she noticed in particular a cutlass that seemed to emanate some sort of deadly aura, and then, she came across three different seals, all seeming to symbolize some force of nature.

Not all of the trophies were grand though. Just after the seals was a bandits head, mounted on the wall as though it were a Deer's head. Although admittedly the man's who's head was mounted was wearing a Deers skull.

_Eventually, after food ran out, and firewood, we took what we could with us, and made our way to Bowerstone. It was better than living in an abandoned home. We sold most of what we brought with us for food. Soon we settled down in a back alley of Old Town. Now, this must have been oh what, twenty years? That doesn't seem right... no that's right. Regardless, when we moved in, it was a horrible place to live, nothing like it is today. Smugglers, thieves, swindlers, and now that I think of it, I'm sure there were prostitutes, as one man, named Arfur (I'm unsure if that was his name, or if it was because of his bad english) kept pitching this one idea to Rose that would keep us fed, though she would always reject it, and she never told me why. Still though, our place had a lovely view. You could almost see the entirety of the rest of the city, including Castle Fairfax._

_Again though, a horrible place to live. During the summer, we would try to make it to Bower Lake, and if we were lucky, a family of gypsies would take us in. During the winter, we scavenged any gold we could to buy food. Don't ask me what we did during spring and fall._

The girl just stood amazed for a bit. It was a little much to take in all at once. Her idea of luxury was not worrying about getting enough food. She headed over to balcony that was on the path they were taking to the Lords study. The way the snow fluttered down to the earth was amazing. Though this, she had the strangest sense of Deja Vu. But that couldn't be right. Probably one of her silly dreams of what life in the castle would be like. That, or it was just the fact that she's had to live only off of what you can scrounge in a forest, which can have many different side-effects if you don't know what your eating.

_Let me tell you about Rose though. She was an amazingly strong person. Despite what we went through, I had never seen her cry. She made sure I always got fed, oftentimes sacrificing her own meal for me. It took it's toll on her though, being the older sibling. She sacrificed her youth, because she had to be mature. _

_She lost the sense of wonder I still had. She became quite pessimistic. Took on all the responsibilities, and all the burden. I did my best to cheer her up. Made me happy when she confessed dreams of living in Fairfax Castle. _

_Really though, my story begins when the world renowned swindler, the 'Mystical Murgo' stopped by in Old Town. Rose wanted to see what the commotion was about, so we joined the crowd and listened to his speech._

"He should be in here." The butler told her. "Now mind you, he gets to be a little irritable while in his study."

"Okay." The girl said, nodding.

"Now, while usually an upstanding gentleman, the Lord has been brooding a little lately, he just began writing his memoirs."

"Oh." She said. _'That makes sense.'_

"And whatever you do, please don't mention the incident at the Spire, Lord Lionheart has become rather touchy on the subject as of late."

"Oh... okay." The girl said, rather confused.

_That was the day that I purchased a Music Box, met a blind old women, and saw my sister killed. _

_There's more to the story I assure you. Before I get to the gloomy part, I think I should mention an interesting side-note. A friend of mine, Garth (Remember his name, he's important.) told me of some Samarkand philosophy they have, called the 'Butterfly Effect'. If say, a butterfly here in Albion fluttered it's wings here, eventually it could start a small breeze, that turns into a wind, that becomes a gale, that culminates into a hurricane in Samarkand, just because a Butterfly flapped it's wings. _

_To the point, there was an interesting side adventure we took to gather the gold to buy the box. I remembered how enraptured I was by Murgo's speech of magical Items that Rose easily saw through. A blind women told us to have more-_

"Sir, you have a guest here." The butler told Lord Lionheart. "She's a young girl asking for her brother."

"Yeah, fine, send her in." The Lord of the castle said. _'I was on a roll there too.'_

"E-excuse me M'lord." A young girl said.

"Hey there." The Lord said, trying to get back to what he was doing.

_-have more faith in magic, saying that most kids Rose's age believed in magic readily. Rose responded by saying that the five gold it would take to pay for the box could feed us for a week, the women in turn told her that by the end of that week, neither her nor I would be any closer to Fairfax castle. _

_Honestly I was split on the idea. On the one hand, I wanted to eat for a week. But on the other, Rose seemed to think it could actually work after that comment. It was the first time Rose seemed like a kid again. I decided to she was more important than food, and that she need this. So-_

"Um, excuse me, M'lord?" The girl said.

"Oh, sorry," The Lord said, though still not turning to look at her. "I'm just trying to get the first chapter done. I get to go back to the Mrs. afterwards. What were you saying?"

_-So we started looking for odd jobs to do. The local guard, Derrick, for whom I would later name my Dog, asked us to help him find arrest warrants that had flown down an alleyway. So we agreed-_

"I've been looking for my younger brother. I was told that I could find him here."

_-agreed to help him find them for a gold piece. next we kept going down the alleyway to look for them when I met a smart, eager young entrepenuer, named Barnum. Peple where looking at the display he set up, and accused him of being a witchdoctor/con man. He asked us-_

"I'm sorry miss, but I don't think anyone younger than you has been wandering through here for a long time. My daughter brought in a friend once. What does he look like?"

_-asked us to pose for a picture. It took as awhile to understand him, as he had been using words from a thesaurus bought from Murgo. We posed, tried to look our best, and he took our picture, and paid us our gold. The only problem with his machine, was that it took three months to develop the photo. Shame everyone is so impatient, the cover to these memoirs should include the picture Barnum took, and as you can see, it is incredibly accurate. _

_Anyway, we headed down the alleyway where kids where causing a fuss. A kid named Rex, now a good friend of mine, was beating-_

"Well, he's about hmm... five years younger than me, he has a dark brown hair, he's about yea tall." She said motioning his height.

_-beating up a dog. Lowly, cruel, but what can you expect of anyone in Albion? We did set up the Crucible. Anyway Rose stood up for the dog, but Rex just knocked her down, smiling over his victory, and came towards me. Fortunately, I was a formidable swordsman even in my youth. _

_With that, Rose approached the dog to see if it was alright, while the other kids began tormenting Rex. We were truly savage back then. Anyway the dog to a liking to us, but Rose told him we couldn't keep him, as we barely had enough to keep-_

"Um M'Lord?"

"Oh, sorry, just lost in thought." The man said, still not even turning to look at the girl. "Well, he sounds a bit like that guest Jenna had over. What was his name?"

"Sparrow M'lord."

With that, Lord Sparrow Lionheart stopped dead. He stood up a little, and slowly turned to finally look at the little girl.

"What did you say your name was?" He asked, getting up.

"Rose. M'lord." She told him.

The man just took a step forward, then another, almost as if paralyzed. He made his way across the room, and then collapsed on his knees in front of the girl.

"Your not an illusion right?" He asked. "And I didn't get shot a third time, did I?"

"N-no, I don't think so." Rose said, rather uneasy. "You alright? You look as though you've seen a ghost."

The man just chuckled softly for a bit. "Rose. You've found me." With that he just embraced the girl, and cried tears of joy down her back.

"I-it's okay." She said. "Umm... how do I know you?"


	2. The Hero's Family

"I-i-it's me Rose. It's- it's me." The man said.

"Um, I get that, but who _are_ you?" Rose asked.

"Me! Sparrow! Y-your little brother." He said, taken aback.

"N-no your not." Rose said, backing away. "My brothers' only nine years old."

"But it _is _me! Little Sparrow!" He said, getting closer to her, which only succeeded in her backing away.

"Look I told you, your not Sparrow! I saw him last year! I was told he's been living here, tell me where he is!" Rose said, beginning to get more angry than scared.

"You saw him... oh by the heavens... you don't know..."

"Don't know what?" Rose asked against her better judgement.

"That you... that you died." The man said.

"Died? Look I'm poor, but don't think that I'm an idiot!" Rose yelled angrily.

"But you... you did! In this room no less! You were shot right there!" He said pointing to the insignia branded on the floor in front of the stained glass window. The man looked back at the girl and saw a look of fear and confusion. "Oh what am I doing, Rose it's been almost twenty years since I last saw you!"

"I'm fourteen damnit!" She yelled angrily. "L-look, can you just take me to Lord Lucien?"

"Rose, Lord Lucien's dead. I was there, I shot him, you've got to-"

"You _killed_ Lord Lucien!?" She screamed increduosly. "Get me out of this loony bin!" She yelled before running out of the study, and through the castle.

"No, wait!" Sparrow said, his arm outstretched, but no real will to chase her down. Instead, he slowly walked back into his chair, and collapsed onto it, feeling completely drained.

Sparrow looked up at a framed letter and took it down, took it out of it's case, and read it as he had for dozens of nights and days now.

_Dear Sparrow_,

_I woke up today in such a peculiar place. It's like a great big forest, with lots and lots of trees that go on forever..._ _I was scared at first because I couldn't find you, but there's someone here who says he knows us, says he knows our family. He told me his name, but I keep forgetting it. Weird. I think he's a king or something. He's very thin and wears a hood and looks scary, but he's nice and I feel safe with him here. I hope you're okay Little Sparrow. Somehow I know that it's all going to be alright, and we'll be together again one day. He promised me._

_Love,_ _Rose_

Sparrow thought at the irony of it all. He had commisioned a search of every wood in Ablion, and some of the neighboring countries, Iberia, Gaul, Allegmagne, Samarkand, Roma, Vistulia, and even RusLand (Who knows how much that cost) pretty much all of Evropa, even some of the new colonies to the west, all to no avail, a series of searches of every woman in the land that fitted Roses description, or fitted her description twenty years ago, to no avail, and a search for the man described in her letter, to lead to every dead end imaginable.

And tonight she had come to him, and he had driven her away. Hadn't the world slapped him in the face enough times in his life? Surely having to deal with Reaver should have covered the times he had to go through an unpleasant experience for one lifetime, right?

"Jenkins!" The Lord of the Castle hollered.

"You rang my Lord?" Jenkins said, materializing out of nowhere.

"D-do me a favor, find Rose a suitable jacket, she'll freeze in what she's wearing now."

"Yes my Lord."

"And Jenkins? Just don't- just don't let her know it was from me. Okay?"

"I'll have to warn you my Lord, I'm not especially adept when it comes to handling children." The Butler said. "But... I will try my best."

"Okay... and when your done, do ya- do you think you could bring up one of the finer vintages of wines?"

"Of course my Lord." With that the Butler left Sparrow Lionheart to his lonesome.

How much had his life changed since Rose had died? He wondered. Would it have been better if he had never saw the Music Box? On the one hand he wouldn't be dealing with the headache he was now. But two thirds of his life had gone by without her. Then again, one third of that was spent as a guard in the Spire. If Lucien wasn't a madman, then Bob would still be happy with that wife of his, Lil that he had talked so much about. _Then again,_ he thought,_ if I had made a different choice, he would be alive._ He might still have made friends with Rex, and maybe Barnum's career would've gone off in Bowerstone. However he never would have heard the stylings of Roland the Bard though, no matter how annoying they could be at times. He would never have known Hammer, even if they could have parted on better circumstances.

But one thing in particular stood out. He would never have met the love his life, his beautiful wife, at the Gypsy Camp.

-------------------------

Rose just ran. She ran, and ran, and ran. Alot faster than someone who had only eaten berries, and small rodents for the past year. She ignored the treasures, the trophies, and the armor and weapons that adorned the walls. She just ran down the halls. And got herself lost.

She wouldn't have admitted it, but she was scared. The lord of the castle was a madman. He might have seemed harmless, but if he had killed Lord Lucien, he was a madman with a gun.

"Ahem."

Rose wheeled round to see the butler from earlier. She eyed him wearily.

"Well Miss... Rose? Was it? I believe you will soon be leaving." The Butler said.

"Yeah." Rose said, searching for a possible exit. She felt like a rat in a corner, a familiar feeling.

"Well... I thought your current... _attire_... is a little, um, inappropriate for the current weather conditions."

"Yeah."

"So, I took the liberty of getting a proper coat." The Butler said, producing a coat from behind his back. Rose eyed it wearily. She slowly walked up to him, and accepted the coat, still cautious, and put it on. It was the warmest garment she had worn in a long time.

"Also, I believe you were looking for the exit, no?" He asked. "If you would simply follow me."

-----------------------

Sparrow heard a knock on the door. He slowly turned around to see none other than the Royal Message Carrier (even though he technically didn't work for any royalty) standing by the doors.

"Letters for you, m'Lord." The man said, taking out a few letters. "From all over apparently."

"Thanks Rex." Sparrow said, taking the letters from his seat. "Rex... I suppose you don't remember my sister, do you?"

"Rose? I fink her name was? I was, fifteen, fifteen en a half? I was harrassin' that Dog o' yer's." He said, checking to make sure the hound wasn't around. The master may have forgiven him, but the Dog certainly hadn't. And now the Dog had been trained to kill, and it would take a lot more than a wooden stick to keep it at bay. "Anyway, that would've been the day befo'e she died, idunit? Why'd ask?"

"Nothing. Do you think you could stop by the wifes home, and tell her something's come up, and I won't be able to make it home tonight?"

"Fer you? Course. Anything she should know about?" By which he was asking, is there a reason?

"No, just need to think is all. Thank's Rex, you can go. Gold will be where it always is."

"Thanks."

----------------------

Rose slowly walked through the back streets of Bowerstone, her new coat wrapped around her tightly. She had forgotten how warm you can be on a cold winter night. Snow slowly fluttered down from the heavens as she walked on, lost in her thoughts. '_The old man lied to me. King my foot. 'the one you seek is in the castle.' Last time I trust him.'_ She kept walking down the road to Old Town. It was harsh, unforgiving, unfriendly neighborhood, but it was the closest she had gotten to home for a year.

Rose looked up. She should have gotten to Old town by now. She should have seen houses with shingles missing, or be able to make out some dirty dealing in a back alley. Instead their were beautiful houses, with grand snow covered gardens, with bright lamp lit windows. She stared in awe of her surroundings. No matter how long ago she had been gone, her sense of direction should have been infallible.

So taken in by the changes of Old Town, she didn't notice the familiar sounds of a fight in a bar. Not until the person who had instigated the fight was thrown outside, and on top of her.

"You's gonna regret this!" An old man yelled at the bar. "Nicknames gonna git' you! He will!"

"Get off me you blimey old codger!" Rose said, throwing the old grizzled man off of her.

"No brat tells me what for!" The old man said getting up. Rose just turned to walk away, upset that her new coat had gotten dirty. "Hey! I'm not done with you!" He yelled, grabbing her wrists, and pinning her to the wall. "I know's you." He muttered. Rose could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"L-let go of me!" She said, struggling.

"You never gave me anythin' ya know." He said, despite her struggling. "You never took me up on my offa', you never gave me those warrants. Nicky got upset." She kept struggling, but his grip was firm. "Now, I'm just gonna take what I want, Rose."

Rose looked up at her attacker. The man was old and grizzled, what hare that poked out of his tattered top hat was gray. It was obvious that he hadn't been taking proper care of himself. But the most important feature she noticed, that the face belonged to Arfur. Aged twenty years older than when she last saw him. Suddenly he seized up, and collapsed on her, before finally hitting the ground. From behind him, Rose saw another girl, probably the same age as Sparrow.

"I never have liked drunks." She said, looking at grizzled form of Arfur. "You okay?" She asked Rose. "That guys' been causing trouble there for about a week now." At that Arfur threw up, and Rose carefully stepped over him.

"Thanks. I don't know what he would have done if you hadn't come along." Rose said. Suddenly Arfur grabbed her ankle, scaring the living hell out of the teenager, before the other girl quickly stomped on his wrist, leaving him quietly whimpering.

"Name's Jenna." She said, looking at Rose. The Girl was probably nine or ten. She had deep blue eyes, that shone brightly from her pale face, and short, dark raven colored hair. "Haven't seen you round here."

"Uh, I came here with my parents. We're visiting. We... kinda got separated." Rose invented.

"Really." Jenna said. "Do you know where they might be?"

"No, not at all." Rose said.

"... tell you what, since you obviously can't handle yourself, I'll let you stay at my place, and my mum will you help you find your parents."

"Excuse me?" Rose said, rather insulted.

"You couldn't handle an old drunk, you expect me to believe you'll be able to spend the night? What's your name?"

Rose had half a mind tell her some of the things she had to live through. But still, she was offering a warm bed, and probably a warm meal. "Rose. Lead on."

--------------------------------------------

"SPARROW!!!"

"Oh Sir! I do believe Madam Lionheart is here!" The butler said, rather rosy cheeked, and clasping a bottle of wine. Sparrow was unconscious over his desk.

"Oh Madam, I'm sorry to tell you *hic*-" The Butler began.

"Shove it Jenkins!" Said the woman, barging into the study.

In strode a strong gypsy woman, dark skinned and clear eyed. She seemed fit to be the wife of a hero like this. Her deep blue eyes shone with a righteous fury, her face forming an expression that would terrorize any man. Normally she seemed a rather petite woman, but as she was, she looked like she could squash a Balverine. Her long black hair, dotted with the occasional shade of gray, was tied behind an expensive silk scarf, and she wore an expensive black and gold cloak that billowed around her form. Her fierce expression turned into one of expectant pity, as she saw her husband passed out over his table.

"Time to wake up love." She said, picking him up, and setting him up straight. She tried shaking him around gently. When that didn't work she slapped his face.

"Whoa! Who? What? Where?" He said, looking around in a drunken state. Then he saw his wife with an expression that would normally make him cringe. Instead though he grabbed on to her for dear life, and started sobbing. "Ohhhhhh!!! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!" He bawled.

"S-Sparrow, dear, get a hold of yourself." She said, trying to comfort him.

"She c-came Sarah." He managed to get out.

"Who did?" She asked, picking him of her, and looking him in his bloodshot eyes.

"My sister." He said. "She died here. In this room. A-and I-I did t-too. I g-got shot through th-that window there." He said, pointing to the stained glass window. "R-Rose came. Y-you know h-how I wished you, and Jenna, and Thomas, and little Joseph, and even Derek back. She g-got wished back too. A-and then I drove her off."

She couldn't say she completely understood what he was talking about, but she could tell he needed her. She held him close to her as he sobbed.

"Please promise you'll never leave again?" He asked.

"I promise my love." She said sweetly. His sobs slowly faded away, until he was incredibly still. She pulled away a bit, but he was stuck on her. She pushed him off a bit, and saw he had fallen a sleep. She looked in his hands, and saw he was holding a wine bottle in his hands. "You never could hold your drink, could you?" She said, taking it out of his hands. She just sighed. "I remember a time where I thought this thing was cute. Course back then, I would get something out of it. These days it's just clothes, jewels, and fancy gifts." She picked up her husband, and lugged him over her shoulder. She may not be anywhere strong as him, but you don't grow up being a gypsy and a weakling. She picked up the letters that Rex must have delivered earlier, and shoved them in her pocket. With that, she walked past the now sleeping Butler, now holding the wine bottle close to his cheek, and headed back to their home in Old Town.

----------------------------------------

"This is my home." Jenna said, leading Rose through another magnificent garden to a well lit home. Inside was warm, and welcoming. Jenna took off her shoes by the doorway, and headed inside to warm her feet by the roaring fireplace. Rose followed suit.

"Hey Tommy! Get down here!" Jenna yelled when she sat down.

From the stairway, Rose heard some thumping, and down came a boy, probably the same age as Jenna. The boy was the same height as Jenna, and had the same eye's she did, hidden behind a pair of thick eyeglasses, though his eyes had a glint in them unlike that of Jenna's. His hair was a dark brown color, and despite what looked to be several attempts to tame it, seemed to go everywhere.

"Who are you?" He asked upon seeing her.

"Rose." She said, getting up, and extending her hand. She noticed how dirty it was wiped it on her skirt, not wanting to get her jacket dirty. After a few moments, he hesitantly took her hand, blushing somewhat.

"You'll have to excuse Tom. She doesn't get out much."

"Will you stop telling everyone I'm a girl?" He said, his face flaring up.

"Come on, we're twins, it's only natural." She teased, not even bothering to move from her position.

"Your twins?" Rose asked. "But you and him-"

"That's what I'm saying." She said.

"We're _fraternal_ twins." Thomas corrected. "It means we're just as different as any other brother and sister." He explained upon seeing the confused look on Rose's face. "One example; I like reading books, she likes pulling pranks."

"Yeah, yeah. Where's mum?" Jenna asked.

"Rex came in, said Dad wouldn't be coming over. Mum through a bit of a fit, and went off to get him."

"Ah." She said.

Rose went back to sit in front of the fireplace. It did a remarkable job of defrosting her feet. She knew she couldn't get too comfortable like this. She'd be leaving soon. But she could still enjoy it while she could.

She had to think about what had been going on. As different as it was, she could still recognize Old Town, somehow, this part of the city had changed drastically. Another thing was that Arfur had aged. She could still vividly recall every detail from not long ago. All this evidence seemed to suggest that the madman Lionheart might have been telling the truth. No, there was no way that was possible. That man was definately _not_ her brother, and she had _not_ died. She had to drive such notions from her head.

"Derek! Dinner time." Suddenly, an object Rose had mistakenly identified as a fur rug jumped over, and bolted to the kitchen.

"What was that?" Rose asked.

"That was our pet Dog, Derek." Jenna told her. "Tom was just feeding him."

Rose then heard something at the door. She turned to look around the large dining table to the door, and saw a regal looking woman step in with a man hanging over her shoulder, his face hidden bye a heavy traveling cloak.

"Is that-" Jenna began.

"Yes, It's you father. He had too much to drink, and no, I won't be telling you why." She told her.

"Can I help?" Tom asked, reentering from the kitchen.

"Sure honey, go upstairs and ready your fathers bed will you?" With that the boy dutifully obeyed his mother. "My, who are you?" The woman asked upon seeing Rose.

"That's Rose, she said she got separated from her parents." Jenna explained to her mum.

"Rose?" She said. She looked at her for a bit before going up the stairs, bringing her knocked out husband with her. "No, couldn't be." She muttered as she headed upstairs.

"Does your Dad do this often?" Rose asked.

"Getting drunk? Not so much. Upsetting mum, and having her bring in his sorry ass home? All the time." Jenna told her.

"You shouldn't talk about dad like that you know." Thomas said.

"Oh, bugger off you pansy." She said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh kay then," The children's mum said, as she came down. "Your father's fast asleep upstairs." She said turning her attention to Rose. "You said you lost your parents?"

"Oh yes, they must be frightfully worried by now. I let my mind wander for a moment, and suddenly I have no idea where I am." Rose said, trying to play her part effectively. She didn't want to take advantage of these people's hospitality, but she was going to take what she could get.

"I see, do they live here?" She asked.

"No, we live in a small village a good ways' from here." Rose said. "This is the first time I've been in the city. Mama and Papa came here to sell some grain. I think they were headed somewhere around the marketplace maybe?" _'That'll keep her busy 'til tomorrow.'_ She thought.

"I see." She said. "I'm sorry to leave you, but there's a bit of a, um, pressing matter I should try to deal with. Kids, I'll be at Lil's place if you need me.

"Okay, bye mum!" Thomas said waving her goodbye as she walked back into the snowstorm.

"Come on, this way." Jenna said, getting up, and pulling Tom upstairs.

"What's this about? Rose asked, following them.

"Mum brought in some letters, I saw them in her pocket, and _I_ want to read them."

"You can't read them, they probably belong to Dad!" Thomas pleaded.

"And?" She asked, stepping into the room.

"Why'd you even bring me along?" He asked, exhasperated.

"It's funny to see you trying to talk me out of things like this." She answered. "Ah here, they are!" She said, picking up a pile of letters off a desk.

"You know, I kinda agree with your brother, what if your Dad wakes up?" Rose asked. At this the man gave a gentle snore, and turned on his side.

"Don't worry about him, once through a tantrum in here, and he still didn't wake up." She said, sifting through the letters. "Ah look Tommy! Here's one from Hammer! Tell me that doesn't pike your interest. Here we go

_I know it's been quite a while since I saw, and I haven't wrote you anything, it's just that the monks here work you to the bloody grindstone. I can hardly get in a spare moment. I managed to write this during an off holiday. I have to say, I thought I knew enough about fighting, and I did go into the monastary thinking I can learn more, but the way they fight is so different, I thought my brain might go into shock. Let me tell you, a Hammer is only good for two things, banging in nails, and bashing in skulls, and the monks here prefer the former. All about precision it is around here. Still though, can't complain, I did ask to come here. _

_Now, I can't give you a return address, but if you just send the letter on the exact same route used for it to get to you, you should be fine. Tell me about what it was like getting your family back, or how Theresa has been, or if you've heard from any of the rest of the gang. It'd be nice to get some regular conversation round here. Again, not complaining, but some days, I swear, I've talked to rock's more sociable._

_Sister Hannah, Hammer._

I always did like her visits." Jenna commented.

"Okay can we go now?" Thomas asked.

"Hatemail, hatemail, eff you, win a vacation in Iberia, hey Tom, want to got to Iberia next summer? Hatemail, why did you let my brother die, more hatemail, a letter from Barnum, hatemail again," Jenna continued.

"Um, did you say Barnum?" Rose asked.

"Look not that anyone cares, but I'll just go read a nice book now, okay?"

"Oh, how did I miss that?" Jenna asked.

"Your Dad knows Barnum?" Rose asked.

"Oh, yeah those two go way back. Do you know him?"

"Yeah, he took a picture of me and my little brother once."

"I bet your still waiting for it to 'develify'. Oh. Hey, is your brother with your parents?"

_'Crap.'_ "Uh, no, we got someone to babysit while we were gone." Rose said. _'Rule number one of keeping up a ruse: Don't add any unnescesary details, it makes it harder to remember.'_

"Let's see, here we go.

_Dear Business Partner O' Mine, _

_Oh, I have been getting the most elatious feeling as my photographic images began to develify. I had in fact, spliced images of that most wonderful day whence we first met, of you and you sis in Old Town, and that most regal and heroic pose of a picture I took last Autumn. From one Mayor to another, I do hope you be ecstilactic with your whoopsie! It was as my uncle Phineas said, always be willing to expermintate with your endeavors. I intend to send it to you once the smell clears from the develify room. (For future endeavors, never let a Constrictor type reptyilian rope monster get into chemicals.)_

_Barnum, Mayor of Westcliff._

Always an interesting bloke that man."

"Your Dad's the mayor here?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, guess I forgot to mention that." She said, rubbing the back of her head. "Okay, more hatemail, more hatemail, man do people have nothing better to do during the winter? Oh, here's one. Hmm, it's titled Letter from Rose.

_Dear Sparrow_,

_I woke up today in such a peculiar place. It's like a great big forest, with lots and lots of trees that go on forever..._ _I was scared at first because I couldn't find you, but there's someone here who says he knows us, says he knows our family. He told me his name, but I keep forgetting it. Weird. I think he's a king or something. He's very thin and wears a hood and looks scary, but he's nice and I feel safe with him here. I hope you're okay Little Sparrow. Somehow I know that it's all going to be alright, and we'll be together again one day. He promised me._

_Love,_ _Rose_

Hey, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."


	3. The Hero's Loss

The Hero's Loss

Rose was careful. She was extremely, _extremely_ careful. She waited until early, very early dawn. Until both the adults, and the children, and even the little two year old fell asleep. She shifted from her makeshift bed on the sofa, removed her blanket, and slowly tiptoed through the house. She was careful, _very_ careful, not to wake anyone in the house. She walked through the dining room, up the steps upstairs, and slowly to the room where the parents slept. She cracked open the door, only a smidge, so she could peer inside. She breathed slowly as she saw both the man and the woman were asleep. Slowly, she moved the door open, only enough so she could barely slip inside, and made her way towards the desk. She opened the desk up, and sifted through the letters in the dark. She had to hold the letters to the window so she could see them, combined early dawn light and street lamps illuminating the paper. She looked over several of them until she found the one she had been looking for.

_ Hers_.

With her letter tucked into her pocket, she paused only to pick up an old leather journal, which inside, had written in it in pencil, ink, and even charcoal, stories of a young girls life. She silently cursed the man that was sleeping in this room, and she tiptoed back into the hallway, and slowly closed the door, with a barely audible click as the door shut completely. She made her way back downstairs, and towards the doorway. She only stopped when she thought she heard something stir. She slowly turned her head, ready to bolt if necessary, but visibly relaxed when she saw it was just the Dog who had been sleeping at the hearth.

It slowly woke itself up, and gave a long stretch, and then made it's way over to Rose. It sniffed her a few times, walking around her as it did, and then with a bark, loud enough to make Rose cringe, it pounced on her, pinning her to the ground as it began licking her all over her face.

"Oh, get off me you stupid mutt!" Rose whispered, wanting to leave very soon.

The dog just gave her a pleading look as it got off her. Rose looked at his jeweled collar, with a tag that said _Derek_ on it.

"Look I've got to go now, don't be waking anybody up, okay?" With that, Rose turned and opened the door, walked into the freezing cold, pulling her new coat closer to her, and shut the door.

* * *

From where she was, Rose managed to find her way back to where she and Sparrow used to sleep. It wasn't much, and definitely wouldn't be anywhere near as warm as where she had been a few minutes prior, but she definitely could _not_ stay there.

She made her way to where she used to sleep, but instead of an old run down back alley where everyone would throw away their rubbish, it had changed as had everything else in Old Town, and had become a beautiful, well kept garden. Knowing she couldn't sleep there, she went back, into a courtyard, where a gypsy caravan was parked. She looked on the horizon at Castle Fairfax. It looked the same as always. Unlike everything else in Bowerstone. While she couldn't complain at how much better everything in Old Town was, it made her feel a little uneasy having everything that should be so familiar be so foreign, and it was just plane wrong that that madman Lionheart had _killed_ Lord Lucien, and taken his castle. Oh, and of course, whatever stupid made up gods out there _had_ to have a sense of humor, and place her in the man's home.

"My, my, what is a girl like you doing out so early?" Rose wheeled around and saw an old blind gypsy woman, slowly walking her way.

"Oh hello there." Rose said, almost unnerved by the woman for some strange reason. "Um, how did you know I was here?" She asked

"I could hear you mumbling under your breath." She told her.

"Oh." Rose said.

"So would you care to answer my question?" The woman asked once more.

"Oh, um, w-well it's kinda private you see." She told her.

"I see. I guess you wouldn't mind joining me in my cabin? It's get's awfully lonely."

" ... sure. Why not." Rose said. She knew not to trust strangers, and she didn't trust the strange old woman one bit, but she also know that she could take her on if necessary, and she that the old woman knew also.

"Good." The woman said, smiling benignly. She walked over to the gypsy caravan, pulled a key from her pocket, and opened the door.

Rose stepped inside, closing the door beside her. It was cold, but considerably warmer than outside. Inside was a form of controlled chaos. Things had been put everywhere. Everywhere. Considering that a gypsy caravan has limited space, it made hard to find any space for you, with all the clutter everywhere. Rose sat down on one of two clear spaces, the bed, as the woman was sitting on the stool, the only other clear spot. Rose looked around, there where tea kettles on hooks, boots on top of sinks, plates on top of books (why does a blind woman need any books?) and coats laid nicely on shelves. The lady turned on a lamp that did nicely to illuminate the caravan for Rose. The woman then grabbed a box of matches and lit one.

"Um miss? You sure you wouldn't be more comfortable letting me do that?" Rose asked.

"My dear child, I've been doing this for longer than you've been alive." The woman said, lighting a small fire beneath the stove. "I don't suppose you want any hot chocolate would you?"

Rose nodded. Then she remembered the woman was blind. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. Nothing like it on a cold winter day. I've always loved chocolate." She said, putting two mugs on the stove, and getting the proper ingredients. "What's your name?"

"Rose ma'am."

"No last name?" She asked.

"No ma'am."

"Oh, that's sad. I'm Theresa." The woman said, extending her arm towards Rose.

"Nice to meet you." Rose said, shaking her hand.

"I don't suppose you had any sleep do you Rose?" Theresa asked.

"No, no I didn't." Rose admitted.

"Pity, you seem like you need a rest. Like you've been through quite an ordeal."

"How do you-"

"I think the hot chocolate is done now." Theresa said, picking of the mugs from the stove, extending her arm to let Rose have hers. "Don't worry, the mug isn't that hot." Rose gingerly took the mug from the woman's hand.

"Now let it cool for a while, you don't want to burn your tongue." Theresa said. "So tell me about yourself, Rose."

"There's not much to tell really." Rose admitted. "I'm... I'm here looking for my brother. A fr- an acquaintance of mine, told me he was still here in Bowerstone."

"And have you found him?" She asked, taking a sip from her hot chocolate.

"No. Stupid old man must have lied to me." Rose said.

"You know, I had a brother too, a very long time ago. Seems almost centuries ago. I was very young then, not much younger than you. I remember, it was my birthday, and he had forgotten to get me a birthday present, so he went about doing whatever he could do to get some money and buy a box of chocolates for me. That was the last time I saw him for ten years." Theresa said.

"What happened to him?" Rose asked.

"That is a story for another day. Be sure to drink your hot chocolate before it gets cold." Rose looked at her drink, and took a long, slow sip of it, letting the warm drink heat her up from the inside out.

"So you have been unable to find your brother?" Theresa asked.

"No, I haven't found him yet. But it's only been a day." Rose said.

"Hmm... I don't suppose you want your fortune told." Theresa said, putting her mug down. "It may just help you find him."

"You tell fortunes?" Rose asked.

"Yes, and I'm quite good at it too." She said. "I find it is a good way to help people think about their problems in new ways. I would suggest you take me up on my offer, I won't be here for much longer, and I'll be going very far away."

"Fine why not?" Rose said, taking a sip from her hot chocolate and putting down on the scant empty space available.

Theresa smiled. She opened a drawer, and pulled from it a deck of cards. She pulled table that had been hiding under the sink between her and Rose, and then started shuffling the cards "First we will see what you have already been through." She said, laying down a card with the picture of a moon in a dark sky, as a wolf and a dog howled at it. "This is you, the moon. Imaginative, but realistic. You are filled with much doubt, but you persevere anyway." She then placed another card down on top of the first one, this one with the picture of an old man with blue robes on top of a mountain. "Ah, I see you have already met the Hermit. He represents a deep knowing, this is a good start for your journey." Rose looked at the picture. It reminded her a lot of the old man she met in the forest. He might have been wise, but he certainly wasn't a good start for her journey. Theresa then placed another card on top of the other one, this one with the picture of a naked woman walking on top of a globe. "Ah this is the World. It shows good feelings, wholeness, involvement. Though, I get the sense this is not directly involved with you." Rose looked at it, but couldn't quite figure how it involved her, unless it was talking about that madman. He might be insane, but he was mayor of Bowerstone, that couuld have represented involvement. "Next is the journey ahead." She placed three cards down on the table right next to each other. The first one was that of a woman wearing white robes. "The High Priestess. Common sense, knowingness, intuition. This is good." Theresa pointed to the one next to it, this one of a man and a woman holding hands while lying beneath the covers of a bed. "The Lovers. Interesting for you at our age, while it does represent love, and of sex, I get the feeling this is not all it, it also represents connection, individual values, and humanism." Theresa pointed to the next one, one of a brilliant star high above a mountain range while three king like figures slowly marched towards it. "This is the Star. A feeling of calmness, and trust. While I feel this is hidden beneath an exterior. This one will be an important part in days ahead." The then drew another three cards and placed them over the old ones. The pointed to the one that was over the Priestess, one of a jester, with a gun in one hand, and a clock in the other. "The Fool. Odd that he should appear in the middle of your journey. He represents a lack of knowledge, but an ability to tune into the world, and an eagerness to learn." She pointed to the card in the middle, one with a man in regal clothing on top of a golden chariot. "The Chariot, a driving force, conquest, impulsivity, self assertion, I see him as tying together with the lovers, but also as being a troubling force, despite being connected to progress." Theresa then pointed to the one on the end, one of a blind young woman with a sword in one hand, and a set of scales in the other. "Justice. A logical mind, but cold and disconnected. Hmm..." Theresa then played another three cards, pointing to the first, one of a giant stone tower on fire. "The Tower. It symbolizes changing times, chaos, disorder, hard times." She pointed to the middle card, one of a skeletal figure clothed in grey robes and wielding a scythe. "Death. An end. Transition, loss, regeneration, this is very unclear." She then pointed to the last one, of an angelic figure blowing a trumpet over a graveyard. "Judgement. A restart, or rebirth, acceptance of mistakes. This is very odd, three cards, each representing an end. Though the Judgement is a good sign."

Rose looked up at Theresa. "So what does it mean?" She asked.

"Even I can only guess. You have an interesting path ahead. Plenty of choices to make I'm sure. Though only you can determine it's end." Theresa gathered up the guards, and put them back into their pack. You should sleep on it. You look like you need the rest."

"Thank you, but I guess I should be going by now." Rose said, taking one last sip of her drink.

"Well, your welcome to sleep here for as long as I'm still here." Theresa said with a smile.

* * *

"This is long overdue _Hero_." A woman dressed in all black said, as she waltzed up to a household. She took a shiny flintlock pistol from her holster. "What are you waiting for boys? Break it down!" With that the bandits that had been suffering frostbite behind her yelled in enthusiasm, and broke the door down, waking every living thing inside. The dog inside growled loudly at the inruders, and began barking loudly as it prepared to pounce. Instead one of the bandits kicked the dog, and two more held it down, knowing how dangerous it was.

"You went ahead and killed my brother, do you know that poochy, eh?" He said kicking it.

"Ignore the mutt, we've got bigger fish to fry." The woman said.

"What are you doing in my household?" A strong voice behind her demanded. The woman slowly turned around to see the face of Sparrow Lionheart, the Mayor of Bowerstone. Behind him she could see a gypsy woman holding on to a small wailing one-year old, and a pair of twelve year-old children behind them. She hesitated after seeing them "I asked you, what you are doing in here." The man said again, cocking his pistol, one that the woman identified as his legendary Red Dragon.

"I'm here for personal reasons. As are all." The Bandits all gave a hoorah to that. "And, because other people have some personal business for you as well."

"Yeah?" He asked. "And what makes you think I'm going anywhere?"

"Boys?" The woman snapped her fingers, and from behind the family, before Lionheart could do anything, two men grabbed Mrs. Lionheart, one of them holding a pistol to her head.

"Ooh, whatcha gonna do guv'na? Heard you are the best shot in Albion. Question is, do ya trust yisself enough for this?" The man asked, cocking his gun.

Sparrow looked at his wife, then at his children, and then at the woman who looked emotionlessly at him beneath her black scarf, and then at his dog.

"Quite a dilema, isn't it?" The woman said.

"Let my wife and my dog go." The man said.

"Alright, that is if you come with us nice and quiet." The woman said.

The man looked around at his family members once more, his gun shaking in his hands. This was definitely one of the most difficult choices he had ever made. "Agreed." He said.

One of the bandit members stepped up and took his gun from him. Another grabbed him by his shoulders while another put a pair of iron hand cuffs on his wrists.

"Tell your dog to stand down." The woman commanded.

"Stand down boy." He told him. The dog whimpered slightly but stopped struggling. The bandits let it go, and the dog eyed the man who kicked him wearily. The woman nodded to one of the bandits who took the screaming toddler from the woman's arms, and handed it to one of the frightened children.

"Alright let's go." The woman said.

"Hey! What about my wife!" The Hero yelled.

"Never trust a bandit." The woman said.

"Sparrow!" The girl cried as they carried them out.

"Dad! Mum!" The boy yelled, as they carried them out.

The bandits marched out, carrying a frightened woman, and an outraged hero, leaving two scared children, and a tired dog.


	4. Journey's True Start

Journey's True Start

"Come on! We've got to find Derek!" Jenna said, running down the streets of Old Town as her brothers, and the dog of the same name as the sheriff followed her.

"Your not the one carrying Joseph." Thomas remarked, lugging his one year old brother over his shoulder.

"Come on, there he is!" Jenna said, recognizing the signature white coat of the local sheriff of the borough. "Derek! Derek!" The young girl cried out.

Thomas soon joined his sister, but when he looked at the sheriff, it was a man he did not recognize. his body was way too small for the oversized coat he wore, most of it covered his entire body easily, making him look thinner overall when you saw him from the front, his hands were covered in a dirty pair of fingerless gloves, and the man's face was a deep, pitted one, sparse hairs grew all around his chin and neck, partially covered by a thin, raggedy scarf, and he had yellow crooked teeth in his smile, his eyes were thin and beady, looking at the children as if they were a rather nasty stain, and greasy, slicked back hair adorning his head, covered by the decorative sheriff's hat.

"Well, well, well," He said with a sneer. " what do we have here?" Derek the Dog started growling at this point. "Oh stuff it you mutt."

"Who are you?" Jenna asked with a tremble in her voice. "Where's Derek?"

"Derek's been, oh... shall we say, _reassigned_. Last I heard, he was on 'pub patrol', heh-heh." The man chuckled. "Me, I'm the Sheriff. I was reassigned last week."

"Look we need help!" Thomas said. "This woman leading a gang of bandits stole our parents! Kidnapped them!"

"So, am I to understand that you have no legal guardian at the moment?" The man asked.

"No, but we have to hurry! Before it's too-" Jenna started.

"Any and all unattended children must be in the hands of a capable legal guardian, or they must be sent to an orphanage immediately." The man said, ruffly grabbing Thomas' wrist, at which point the Dog started barking loudly.

"Hey let go of my brother!" Jenna said, grabbing the man's thin wrist. The man in response, smacked her face, and kept a tight grip on Thomas' wrist, who was now having difficulty keeping a grip on his little brother.

"Excuse me, but I don't think the children appreciate what you're doing." An aged voice said. The guard turned around to see a blind old woman in a red and white dress.

"Oh, and what're you going to do about it?" The guard asked, letting go of Thomas who landed on the ground with a thump.

"I'm not sure. Here's hoping you won't tempt me." The woman said, with the lightest hint of a smirk.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Jenna whispered to Thomas.

"And what, leave this woman here?" Thomas asked.

"Come on, who cares, we've got enough problems right now, we've got to go." Jenna grabbed Derek's collar, the dog who was now cowering slightly at the woman's presence, and dragged him down another alleyway, Thomas taking one last look at the scene, before following suit.

* * *

"Daniel! Open up!" Jenna said, pounding on the door.

"Oh, hello." Said a thirteen year old boy, who opened the door. "I was just about to come over-" the boy was interrupted as Jenna trodded inside, pushing him aside, who was quickly followed by Derek the dog, and Thomas, still carrying his little brother.

"Hey, what's going on?" The boy known as Daniel asked, closing the door as Thomas put down his little brother on a sofa.

"A lot of things have happened." Thomas said, walking to Daniel, and giving him a hug, something that Thomas embraced. "It's good to see you... you can let go now."

"Oh, right, sorry." Daniel said, letting go of Thomas.

"Danni, were are your folks?" Jenna asked.

"I told you, there were taking a vacation in Gaulia." Daniel said plainly.

"They've already left?" Jenna asked. "Sacre bleu!"

"Yeah, I was just about to head over to your guys' place. What's happened?" Daniel asked. Derek rubbed his head against Daniel's leg, and in return Daniel rubbed his head gently.

"Our parents, they've been kidnapped." Thomas said, collapsing on the sofa.

"What?! But I thought your dad was the Hero!" Daniel said.

"Sparrow is a Hero," Jenna said. "but the bandits came in, led by this woman, they grabbed Mum from behind, and he gave himself up on the condition we wouldn't be hurt. They took him, and Mum."

"We had this girl over, Rose was her name, she was gone when we woke up and got down there. I hope she's all right." Thomas said.

"Yeah," Jenna said distractedly, sitting down on a chair. "yeah, that wouldn't be good." _'A girl walks past the one bad pub in Old Town, and I'm there when it happens? And she says she's missing her parents, and brother? Beginning to sound a lot like crap to me.'_

"Well what are you guys gonna do?" Daniel asked.

"Well we tried to find the Sheriff, after all, he's a good friend with Dad, but someone else is Sheriff, and I'm sure he's up to no good." Thomas said.

"Said there's some law that's gonna place us in some rundown orphanage." Jenna said, almost spitting out the words with disdain.

"Since when?"

"I don't know! All I know, is that Sparrow would never sign some stupid law like that!" Jenna lashed out.

Little Baby Joseph began to whimper, then cry at his sister's outburst and Derek whimpered slightly, and trotted over to Thomas for comfort. "Calm down Jenna, your scaring Derek Joseph." Thomas said, picking up his brother, and calming him down.

"I'm sorry, it's just this whole situation bites." Jenna said angrily.

"... I think we need to find Barnum." Thomas said.

"The man with the Picture Box?" Daniel asked, remembering the stories the two had told him.

"Yeah, he's the mayor of Westcliff, he's really well off." Thomas said. "We've been there before, I mean, it's a long ways away-"

"It's through the bloody Bandit Coast." Jenna said. "The only safe way is by caravan."

"Then we get a caravan." Thomas said plainly. "It's not much of a plan, but it's better than nothing."

"I promise, I'll do whatever I can to help you guy's." Daniel said.

* * *

Rose woke to a trundling motion. She slowly took off the thick blanket that had covered her, and looked through the window. She saw for one thing, that the snow had stopped, and now Bowerstone had a picturesque look of a frosted village, with people still going about their businesses. But thing she noticed the most, was she was MOVING.

"I must have been really tired." Rose thought aloud. "Just goes to show, I should have snuck in their room at midnight, not six in the bloody morning."

Suddenly the Caravan stopped.

"Oh my, if it isn't you." She heard Theresa said.

"How did you see us?" A girl asked.

"I didn't, the horse did, and I could hear you muttering underneath your breath." Theresa said. "I hope that guard didn't give you any trouble."

"No, no more trouble..." Rose could here the girl mutter something under her breath, but she couldn't make it out.

"I heard what he said, you have no legal guardian?"

"We were planning on going to Westcliff." A male voice said, followed by a short "Ow."

"Westcliff? I was heading there myself." Theresa said. _'Was she going to take me with her?'_ Rose wondered.

"We were planning on hiring a caravan." The boy said.

"At this time of year?" Theresa asked. "You'll have a hard time finding one. I could take you there if you wanted."

"Oh we wouldn't want to bother you." Another voice said. Rose looking through the window noticed a guard with a shifty look in his eyes.

"But since your offering-" The girl said, heading around the back.

The doorknob turned, and when it opened, Rose's looked at the face of Jenna.

* * *

_'And so the next two cards have been played.'_ Theresa thought as her caravan slowly trundled through the frosted woodland. _'Rose's path is unfolding rather quickly. It's good to see my friends children are still safe. Though I wonder, which of those three are the Star and the Lovers?'_

The Woman smirked slightly, as the horse kept pulling the caravan though the fresh snow that covered the path.

* * *

No words passed through the cabin. None.

Rose looked out the window, her hand propping up her head as she watched the barren snow covered tree's pass by. The Dog known as Derek rested it's head on her lap, keep it's head down, almost sulking.

Thomas was content to read a book, one titled _The Modern Heroes_, while the other boy, one a little older than the other two, but younger than herself, was left holding a small bundle, looking around the cabin uneasily.

Jenna just stared at a wall with utter contempt.

Rose turned to look at the new guy. She hadn't seen him before. He had blond hair that came down to his shoulders, looking like it could be tied into a ponytail if he wanted. He had a rounded face, but it had outgrown a lot of features you would deem childlike. He had blue eyes focused on the bundle before him, which he fiddled with every now and again, causing a gurgle from the bundle. His clothes were likely expensive, going through the same change that had gripped all of Bowerstone. Probably not as expensive as her new coat though, she thought to herself. She glanced around the cabin, and her eyes briefly met Jenna's, at which point they stopped.

"So... you've given up on finding your parents?" Jenna asked. At this point Thomas looked up from his book, and the other kid stopped fiddling with the little baby.

"Let's just say, I'm not going to find them here, or anything else I'm looking for." Rose said.

"Why'd you leave this morning?" She asked.

"...personal issues." Rose said, looking back through the window.

"Do you know what happened this morning?" Jenna asked, sitting up straight.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Our parents were kidnapped." Jenna said coldly.

"They- what?" Rose asked, snapping her head around to look at Jenna again.

"Yeah, this morning, Bandits stormed in, took them from us, and just left us there." Jenna said.

"Oh, I feel so sorry for you!" Rose said. "Do you think they're okay?"

"I don't know." Jenna said, shifting her gaze towards the door.

Jenna was still supsicious of Rose, and Rose was still leery of the two children's father.

Needless to say, it was going to be a long journey.

* * *

*Knock-Knock-Knock*

"I'll be just a minute!" A man said. What someone wanted from him at five in the morning he didn't know.

*Knock-Knock-Knock*

"Keep your Pantalons on! I vocalated ya didn't I!"

The door to the large mansion on the hill opened up revealing a man wearing a red and orange pinstripe suit opened the door. He had a gray muggy face, but his eyes had a unique look of honesty and naivety, on top of his head he wore a round brown hat on his head with a pair of goggles on it, one lens green and one blue.

"I believe your name is Barnum, no?" A woman in a white and red dress asked.

"Why yes, that would be myself." The man asked. "Eh, uh, what do acquire this unlordly hour?"

"I've brought some children in need of care." She said plainly.

"Uh, ma'am, the orphanage is on the other hemisphere of the town." Barnum said, trying to rub some of the sleep dust from his eyes.

"Come, I believe you know some of them." The woman turned and slowly walked towards a gypsy caravan. Barnum, nothing better to do at five a.m. grabbed his cane, and stepped outside into the freezing cold to follow her.

The woman opened the back doors to the caravan, and lit a candle illuminating it, and revealing it's occupants, four kids, a dog, and one sleeping baby.

"Oh my... Tommy and Jenna! And Derek! And, and little baby Joseph?" Barnum exclaimed. "I have to say, I was anticipating a sudden invacation of these guys... hey who are the other two? And wheres their Mum and Dad?"

"That, I believe, they will be able to tell you themselves. For now, simply give them a warm bed to sleep in in."

* * *

Rose stretched slowly in bed. It felt so nice. It was so cozy. She had gotten to the point where her body had warmed the bed until it was the absolute warmest. Nothing felt better than a warm bed on a cold winter morning. She was very tempted to simply drift back to sleep. Then she remembered she didn't fall asleep in a bed as nice as this one, or with blankets as thick as the ones on her now.

Relunctantly, she slowly shifted the large duvet covers from off of her, and sat upright, rubbing the sleep dust from her eyes. Still sleepy, she turned to look outside. Outside was a snow covered town. In the middle was a frozen duck pond, surrounded by freshly cleared walkways. Further on was a port with, filled with ships in large white sails. On the right side of the window was a cliff face with an occasional chunk of snow and ice dotting it's face, before being interrupted from a great building built into the living rock, now covered with ice and icicles. On the horizon was a great sea extending to the west, and possibly to the new colonies, and in the clear sky was a light pink color that surrounded the horizon, and beyond that was an amazing light blue, with a half moon still prominent in the sky, and in the center of the sky was a deep blue.

"Alright. I'll bite." Rose muttered. "Where am I?" She got out of the bed and looked around her new surroundings. On the shelves and on the walls where all types of these strange paintings, except they weren't paintings, they were all put on this type of paper, and all them had an incredible accuracy to them, so lifelike they where, were as a painting is usually made to be perfect, and is romanticized, the paintings here were so accurate that they included every single detail, gritty, pleasant or not, including the things you would expect or not.

She heard a muffled conversation coming from outside her door, so with nothing to lose, she slowly shuffled outside her door, and peered over a balcony. Downstairs where two men fussing over a table that had some sort of schematics, as well as an old flintlock rifle.

"Now the only complifications I visuate is how much gunpowder our thingamajig fasicitates." One of them said, pointing to a certain part of the schematics.

"Of course, I have a contact in Allemand, he is constructing some type of explosive device, meant to destroy an entire city, he may know a thing or two." Another man said, one with a blue suit and a watch in his hand said.

"Oh my that sounds devacatastrating!" The first man said. "Still though, it's a good thing I have you to know everyone, ain't it?"

Just then someone walked in on the two. Rose recognized the boy as Thomas. "Uncle Barnum!" The boy said rushing to the first man, and giving him a big hug.

"Oh-ho! Easy there Tommy!" The man said, sitting on a stool. "Easy! I still got that old Blamgong wound you know."

"It's great to see you." Tommy said. "Who are you?" He asked upon seeing the other man.

"Michael Clockman." The man said, putting the watch in his pocket, and extending his hand, which Thomas shook. "I'm Barnum's current Business Partner."

"Nice to meet you." Thomas said.

"And you are?" The man asked.

"Oh, this is Thomas, he's a son of an old Business Partner O' mine." Barnum said.

"Um, about that-" Thomas said. "Um, do you think we could talk in private?"

"Oh, that's fine, I was going to leave soon anyway." The man picked up the schematics, and rolled them up, and tucked them under his arm. "I'll see if I can't come to an understanding with Mr. Alberstein."

"So what is it you need to vocalate with in private?" Barnum asked.

"I think we should wake Jenna first." Thomas said, heading back to his room, to retrieve his sister. Meanwhile, Barnum took a pencil from behind his ear, and started writing down notes, muttering calculation under his breath.

Rose was honestly confused about Barnum. When she had last seen him, he had given her and her little Sparrow his last gold piece so they could buy that damn music box that never worked. After that her memory was rather fuzzy, the last thing she remembered was waking up in the forest during the fall. And then she was greeted by that stupid old man. Now it was winter, so it had only been a year. Not only had Old Town been transformed, but Barnum had somehow made his fortune, apparently his picture taking business had taken off of something. Remembering that letter from yesterday, he'd also become mayor of this town, Westcliff.

Rose looked around the house she was in. It was definitely a big one. She slowly walked around the balcony that surrounded the balcony Barnum was in. She then spotted, to her right, was a study area, with a desk no doubt made of an expensive wood. In it were more of those super accurate pictures, tons of them. Then she spotted it.

It was picture of her and little Sparrow, that day in Old Town. The day before she woke up in the forest. It was when she met Barnum, that, again, must have been a year ago. Goes to show, you can go from rags to riches real soon.

"Oh, if it isn't Jenna!" She heard Barnum said downstairs.

Looking around as if someone might catch her, she took the picture from the case, and folded it up in her pocket.

"Hey Barnum." Rose could hear her say. "Things have been real... bad, lately."

Rose returned to the balcony and saw Thomas and Jenna standing next to Barnum, still sitting on his stool.

"Yes, yes, that veressel she-lady last night didn't chose to exorbate too much on the situation." Barnum said.

_'So that old lady just left me here?'_ Rose thought. _'And after she brought me here without saying a thing anyway. Can't seem to find anyone you can trust these days.'_

"Where to begin?" Jenna mused. "Mum and Sparrow are gone."

"What? Your Mum and Dad?" Barnum asked, shocked.

_'SPARROW!?' _Rose screamed in her head, she leaned over the railing so much she would fall over if she moved an inch closer.

"It was Bandits." Thomas said.

"Oh, that's preposturous! Why I remember in Oakfield-"

"Yeah, well they took them anyway." Jenna said, cutting him off. "They just- stormed in, led by this woman in black, woke everyone up, they went and kicked Derek, scared the living daylights out of us, Sparrow went and yelled for them to get out, but they got behind Mum and grabbed her from behind. Threatened to hurt her- and us- if he didn't surrender. Then they took them to parts unknown."

"Well, when did this occur?" Barnum asked, his face aghast.

"Yesterday morning." Thomas said. "We tried finding the Sheriff, but he was... reassigned. We found someone else, said he was going to put us in an orphanage."

Rose had had enough. This was crazy, things weren't making sense, she thought the kids were nice enough, but now... she needed to get out, she needed to time to think. She headed back to the room she woke up in, spied her new coat on top of the head board, put it on, opened the window that lead to the bitter cold, and stepped outside, climbing down the slippery wall, before slipping and landing in the thick snow. Begrudgingly, she climbed back to the surface, and headed toward the port.


	5. The Hero's Interrogation

The Hero's Interrogation.

The siren waltzed into the cold dank room that was the holding cell for Lionheart. The women covered from head to toe in black eyed the room, it was dank, musty, mold grew from the walls, and if it wasn't for the salt-water, the place would be frozen over. and the only sources of light were a single sunbeam that narrowly made it from a crevice above, doing well to illuminate the prisoner, and a dim torch. She still felt he deserved less.

The prisoner in question was leaning forward, his hands were still cuffed together, and likewise, he was chained to the wall. He kneeled on the floor unconscious, with his head hanging down, and his hair in a mess, covering his face.

"Oh Hero~" She called.

The man mumbled something, and lifted his head to see his tormentor. Before their eye's met, she kicked him in his face with her stiletto heels, as in the ones with daggers on the end.

Spitting blood, the man lifted his scarred face to see his tormentor, a look of defiance on his face.

"I don't suppose you know who I am, do you?" The woman said, crouching down to his level. The man said nothing in response, she she took off her black scarf, revealing her pale face, which might have held warmth in earlier days, but now had a coldness that emanated from her green eyes.

"I am like hundreds others that you wronged in the Spire." The woman said. "I am here to have my revenge. As everyone knows, every choice has it's consequences, and I am your consequence." The woman got up, and looked at him, sneering. "The reason I wear black is because I'm in mourning. I wasn't always part of this lot you know. I was a dutiful housewife of thirteen years before..." The woman took a moment to steel her resolve before continuing. "I told him he was an idiot going to the Crucible" She said calmly. "but he told me that we needed the money, and that he didn't care if he lived or died if I wasn't well taken care of. Oh that _stupid_ idiot." It was at this point the woman started pacing the cramped cell. "I was thrilled when he survived, made a fortune out of winnings, but that barely compensated for the move into Old Town. I didn't want him going through that bloodbath again, yet at the same time I didn't trust the work they were doing at the Spire. Course though, he was ecstatic when the job was offered to him. I only let him go after he promised to write to me every single day. And he did, but I noticed something wrong as the days went by, almost as if he was only using words he was told to. Letters stopped about nine months after he had left. I kept checking in with the contacts, but they kept telling me he was alive and well, even though he had stopped writing. Then, two and a half years later since I had last seen him, I got a letter. I was so ecstatic when I got it. Then I learned it was a letter telling me my husband had died within the Spire. And then ten years after I last saw him leave that boat, I hear you get off scot free out of that hell hole. That just made me angry, why couldn't it have been him! Then to make things worse, you go back in there, you who had done so many good things in this world, and you are given a chance to restore the life of hundreds- no thousands of people who died, and then you condemn them all!!" The woman took a few seconds take some deep breaths, meanwhile Lionheart who had patiently listened to her spoke.

"Your name's Lil, isn't it?" He said. The woman stared at him, shocked. So he continued. "I forgive you for hating me. Your not the only one, everyone does... I first met Bob after getting of the boat. He started talking to me, and I listened. Bob was the only friend I had in that place. He talked about you a lot, about how beautiful you were, how you were the best thing that had ever happened to him. He was a ray of sunshine in the worlds tallest pit. The other's didn't like it.

The training got to us, just as it did everyone else, though, Bob was hit harder. He forgot his work, his past, and even his name. But the thing he held on with all his life, was you. Unfortunately, they broke that out of him too... weeks passed after that, one day I was called up to the Commandant's chamber, and he pointed to Bob huddled in a corner, regurgitating the lines they stuffed down our throats every day. He was broken in body, mind, and spirit, useless to them.

So the Commandant orders me to kill him... I thought then if I disobeyed this order he would kill me, but there he was the only thing that helped keep me going, even if he gone insane, even if he was a cripple, he was my _friend_. I couldn't do it, last possible second, hit the Commandant, didn't even phase him, struck me to the ground, torturing me with lightning, and killed Bob in front of me."

The woman was still speechless, so after a few seconds, he continued. "When I went back to the Spire, I wasn't given an opportunity, I was given a choice. I'd already failed as a husband, and father, missing my children's first words, first steps, and everything else, and then knowing that they had been _killed _because of me, and they were, I welcomed Death........ yet I had been cursed to live anyway... if I were to go through it again, I might have made a different choice. But I was so tired, I just...... I just wanted my family back.

The only reason I kept going was because of Bob, and his memory, because my resolve to stop the madness was all the more stronger.... and for what it's worth, he was right, you are incredibly beautiful."

Lil kicked him again with her stiletto heal, and waltzed out of the cell, leaving the Hero hoping that the two gash's wouldn't add yet another scar on his face.

"How'd it go ma'am?" The man waiting outside the stone door asked.

"You have free reign." Lil said, leaving the man.

"Not well I take it." The man muttered.

* * *

"An orphanage?" Barnum asked.

"Yeah. I mean, I know it shouldn't be that bad, but... I don't know, he had this damned look in his eye." Jenna sighed.

"Anyway, we decided to come here." Thomas said. "We were going to take a caravan, but a guard spotted us, so we took a ride with a blind gypsy here instead."

"That explains the verressile woman." Barnum said. "What about the other young-ins that were with you?"

"One of them's Daniel." Thomas explained. "He's an old friend from when we lived in Old Town before moving. We went to his house to stay with his parents, but they had already left for a vacation. He went with us to help, and because he probably doesn't want to go to an orphanage either."

"And what about the she-lady?" Barnum asked.

"That was Rose." Jenna answered.

"Jenna met her a couple days ago, before this whole thing started. She was gone by the time the Bandits came, but she was in the same Gypsy Caravan." Thomas said.

"You know your father had a big sister named Rose." Barnum said, remiscing. "I took a picture of them the day we met, right after I bought that thesaurus. She died the day after."

"Hey." A new voice said. Thomas and Jenna turned around to see Daniel accompanied by Derek who quickly ran up to Barnum and licked him all over his face.

"So your Barnum?" Daniel asked joining the crew.

"The one and indiginous!" Barnum said, wiping the slobber off his face. Daniel raised his eyebrow in response.

"You'll have to excuse him, bought a thesaurus filled with weird words, and he's been talking like that ever since." Jenna explained.

"What are you doing with a rifle?" Daniel asked, walking over to the table.

"Oh! I'm glad you inquired, I am designing a space gun!" Barnum said excitedly. Daniel then picked up the rifle and aimed it at a random wall. "Oh, please be careful, it's still flintbuzzled!"

Daniel raised his other eyebrow this time. "Loaded." Thomas explained. Daniel quickly put the gun back on the table.

"A space gun?" He asked.

"Yes, it is a rather spetacurous story. I was trying to build a marvelous flying contraption, but, I met Mr. Clockman, who told me someone in Roma had already filled a notebook with flying contraptions, so I thought to myself, how do I upfumzle that? And it came to me, shoot a man into the moon!" Barnum said with a great smile on his face. "I've got almost all the calulations done, just need the gunpowder, and the Balmgang pipe itself."

"Sounds rather interesting." Daniel said. "Man's a complete loon." He whispered in Thomas' ear. "Man to the moon? Like that's going to happen."

"I heard that." Barnum said. "It's like my Uncle Phineas told me, always shoot for the moon, because even if you miss, you will always land among the stars. It's what helped inspirate this project you know."

Daniel just shook his head.

* * *

Rose was in a quaint little town, but she knew it wasn't big enough for her to hide here. She walked toward the port, keeping her jacket close to her. As she walked hurriedly down the slick frozen steps that led down the cliff to the port.

She doubted she could afford a caravan out of here, and there was no way she would be able to survive the Balverines and the Bandits, so her best hope was to stowaway on one of the ships. She spied a man yelling at the crate carriers, she figured he was as good a start as any.

"No, no! What are you doing?! Don't lift with your legs, your back's the strongest muscle in your body! And your knee's aren't even locked! How do you expect to stand up straight? Come on! Put your groin into it! And stop exhaling on every lift! The goal is to hold your breath as long as possible, under stress, the body produces all the air it needs!" The man said.

"Excuse me mr.?" Rose asked. "I'm looking for my father, I heard he's coming by boat, where did that one come from?"

"Oh that, Gaulia, I think." The man said.

"Oh I see, out of curiosity, where is it heading?" She asked.

"Oakvale." The man answered.

"Thank you." Rose said, walking further down the pier.

"Come on! Grunt it out!" The man said to the crate carriers.

When no one was looking, Rose lifted the top off a barrel, and jumped in.

"Oi! Get off me!" A voice said as she landed on someone.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked, trying to make some room for herself.

"Go find your own barrel, this one's taken!" the voice said, one that sounded like a boy maybe a year older than her, as Rose self righted herself.

Suddenly the early morning light from above ceased, and Rose felt herself moved, and shoved into the new person as someone picked up the barrel she was in.

"Looks like that's not an option." Rose whispered. "Where'd you come from anyway?"

"A delightful little place called Sabana." The voice said. "And you?"

"Me? I just need to get out of here." Rose said.

Eventually the person who was carried them brought them down a set of stairs and set them down.

"Bloodstone here I come." The boy said. "Chocolate? Their Belgican."

"Bloodstone? This ship's meant to go to Oakfield." Rose said, trying to right herself again in her cramped quarters.

"Damn. Third time's this has happened." The boy said. Suddenly a light appeared as the boy held out a white crystal that dimly lit the barrel the shared. The boy had a deep tan from being in the sun for quite a while, and he had extremely scruffy black, spiky hair wrapped with a red bandana, he had a square jaw that was accustomed to a cocky grin, and black eyes. In his mouth, one of his front teeth was replaced by a fake gold one. He was wearing a white puffy shirt, one that certainly ill-suited for the winter, covered by a leather belt that crossed his chest from his shoulder, and a pair of brown pants with a pair of leather boots. In a bandaged hand, he held a cutlass in it's scabbard. "First time I was in one of those colonies, they've got all kind of witchcraft there mind you, then, I end up in the Gaulian Riviera, and this one chick shoots me in my ass, and now this. So is Oakfield any closer to Bloodstone?"

"No, Bloodstone's on the southern end of Albion, we're heading north." Rose told him. "Where'd you get that?"

"Going away present from Sabana." The boy answered.

"So what are you? Some sort of Pirate?" She asked.

"Not a pirate."

"I see, what's your name?" She asked.

"Um... let's see... Jacob. Jacob Smith... it's short for 'John' Jacob Jingleheimer Smith..."

"I see. Rose." She said extending her hand, which he shook.

"So, what are you doing?" He asked.

"Oh, if only I knew." Rose sighed. "I've been looking for my little brother, Sparrow, but... I keep seeing these crazy people... first, I go to Castle Fairfax, a dream come true in itself, because this one guy who found me in a forest tells me he's there, then instead of Lord Lucien, I meet this 'Lord Lionheart' I tell him my name, and he claims to have killed Lord Lucien, and he says he's Sparrow."

"Ever consider they're both named Sparrow?" The boy asked, eating some chocolates. "You want any?"

"After they've been in your pocket for heaven knows how long?" Rose asked.

"Ah, the Belgicans made it so they never melt in your pocket." He said, handing her one.

Rose hadn't had food for a long while anyway, and chocolate had always been a rare gift, so she popped it in her mouth and was surprised she did not regret it. "Anyway," She said eating the chocolate. "I hadn't actually thought about that. Makes things a lot easier, cause you see, I ended up meeting his kids, they don't seem like a bad sort, and their parents, the loony involved too, ended up being kidnapped. Probably for ransom, he's the mayor of Bowerstone. Anyway, this blind old Gypsy brings me here, and the other kids, without telling me, and then I wake up, and decide to leave."

"Ah, if I've heard that story once, I've heard it a thousand times." The boy said.

"You've got to be kidding me." Rose said.

"I am." He said, popping another chocolate in his mouth. Rose hit him on his arm.

* * *

Sarah looked up as the door to her musty cell creaked, and a figure strode in. It was the same woman that had led the assault on her home still dressed in all black, where as she was still wearing her pajamas.

"You know, you could have at least told me you were married to him." The woman said before taking off her scarf. She recognized the face immediately.

"Lil! You! You did this?" She cried out, completely shocked that the woman she would have tea with in the evenings, and share gossip with was the orchestrator of their kidnapping.

Lil leaned against the wall, and sighed. "They call me 'the Siren' here." Lil said. "There are supposed to be twelve of us in all. Gentleman Jim should be giving your hubby the speech now, but bottom line is he pissed off all these guys here. I joined because I wanted revenge on the Hero, for taking the selfish path. I can't believe you married a Hero, and you never told me?" She asked.

" ...well at first it was just something I didn't see fit to brag about." Sarah said. "I'm not one to brag, and considering how the heroes ended..."

"But you didn't tell me?" She persisted.

"After he had left, I didn't want to talk much about him, trying to deny the fact he was probably dead in the Spire. And after he got out, they sent assassins after him." Sarah said.

"That man left you to raise two children on your own for ten years, goes off all the time in life threatening situations... how can you stay with him, knowing he condemned the lives of thousands?" She asked.

"You mean apart from the mind blowing sex?" Sarah asked. Lil groaned in response. "Well, there's the fact that he's the most selfless person in the world."

Lil laughed bitterly at that comment. "Yeah, that. How much did he tell you about the Spire?" Lil asked, not even looking the woman in the face.

"... everything. He told me about the workers, the prisoners, the guards, Lucien... and Bob."

"I mentioned my husbands name, oh what? A THOUSAND TIMES, and you never saw fit to tell me anything?"

"Look, things are complicated!" Sarah pleaded. "Would you rather I tell you my husband witnessed your husbands death while being tortured over tea and crumpets?"

"We hardly ever had any crumpets." Lil said.

Sarah sighed and composed herself. "Look I just didn't want to get involved with the topic, I knew you had the right to know but... it was after he returned there that things got worse."

"No kidding." Lil said. "Your lucky." She said, still not looking at Sarah. "The original plan was meant to be of poetic justice. After all the loved ones he condemned there, we wanted to kill his family in front of him, before killing him ourselves."

"You do understand what happened that night, don't you?" Sarah asked. "Doubtful. Only people who actually know are me, my husband, and his hero friends.... your a bit too late for that, Lord Lucien already killed us." Sarah looked her in the eye, even though Lil didn't return the favor. "Barged in to this magic farm Sparrow had found for us, house of anyone's dreams, but Lucien had his men barge in as we were sleeping, killed all the chickens in the front yard, and that's what woke us up. I rush downstairs to see what happens, my little ones following behind me, and demand to know what's happening. He points his gun at me and tells me to step aside so he can kill my children. He tells me he has to end the Hero's bloodline tonight, and my children are part of that bloodline. Naturally I tell him to burn. So without so much of a word, he shoot's me, and I bled out on the staircase hearing my children scream before I die.

I only remember the next morning when I woke up in early dawn as Sparrow walks down the steps, still in his adventurer's clothes, and run's at me, and grabs me with no intention of ever letting go. He told what happened that night, I remember my death only as a dream, but we keep the children ignorant, though they still have nightmares of it happening. One of the reason's we moved back to Old Town you see, we couldn't live in the house knowing me and the children had died there.

When he was in the Spire, he told me he had to make a choice between our lives, and the lives of those who died in the Spire. He said, just that one time, he wanted to be selfish. He wonders every day if he made the wrong choice, but we both know he's grateful we're back.

So you see, I couldn't just tell you that the reason Bob was gone forever was the same reason I was still there to talk to you, now could I?"

Lil didn't say anything. Sarah looked at her face, trying to detect any emotion, but she saw none. Instead, Lil turned around and left.

That left Sarah alone in a freezing, dank and dark cell alone, to worry about the fate of her and her family. And cry.

* * *

Rose silently waited in her barrel, waiting for when she would arrive in Oakfield. Now that she had time to think maybe she had been hasty jumping on a random ship. Still, not like she was going to get anywhere in Westcliff. What were her priorities right now?

Well for one, she still had to find her little brother. She could walk to Bowerstone from Oakfield just fine. Still though, with that Orpanage she had heard about will probably complicate things.

With that in mind, when she finally found Sparrow, it would probably be best to get out of Bowerstone.

The not-pirate she was sharing the barrel with had somewhere along the way fallen asleep, and as the boat shifted, his head fell on her shoulder. Rose shrugged him off, and his head banged against the barrel brutally waking him.

"Ah not the Kraken!" He cried. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"Your head was on my shoulder." Rose told him.

"That's it?" He asked. "I mean, it's not like I pinched your ass, or groped your-" Rose slapped his face before he could finish his sentence.. "Ah, what the hell was that for?"

"You know very well what." Rose said, blushing horribly. "Man, when do you know when the ships stopped?"

"Oh, the ship-hands come down and either take or bring more cargo." The boy answered.

"So how do we get off with them here?"

"Oh, we wait until they're gone, and jump overboard." The boy said simply.

"At this time of year?" She asked. "We'll freeze!"

"Yeah, but if we go to the top deck, the guards will grab us and fine us, and I don't know if Albion takes bribes with these Gualian gold pieces."

"I really should think these things through better from now on." Rose lamented.

"You probably should love." The boy said, popping in the last of his chocolates.

* * *

"Hey, it's nice to meet you Mr. Lionheart!" A man appearing in Sparrow's cell said. He was dressed in a blue Highwayman's jacket, and a black Highwayman's hat, and traditional green Highwayman's boots, and green Highwayman's trousers, but surprisingly he wasn't wearing the accompanying mask or gloves. He had a friendly face, with a good amount of beard stubble.

"I bet you're wondering who I am?" He said upon seeing the look Lionheart was giving him. "They call me; wait for it; Gentleman Jim! Ah, now that's a name, don't ya think?"

Lionheart continued his steely gaze on the man. "So your not one to talk are you?" He asked.

"Not really." Lionheart said.

"That's okay then, it's nice to talk to someone who's not gonna' interrupt every chance they get. Well, I guess I should tell you why we're here talking at the moment. Siren gave you her spiel I'm sure, but, uh, hows about I give you a little history lesson. Where to start? Well, have you ever heard of the Hero Twinblade?"

Lionheart nodded. "Good, well you see, five hundred years ago, he started a... legacy, see? He got to power by uniting twelve different bandit tribes. Now, you know how a couple decades later, the civilians revolted against the Hero's?"

Again Lionheart nodded. "Good. Well, unlike most of the Hero's legacies, his didn't die. You see, instead, after his death, a coucil of twelve was started, and while it's shifted, and changed over the centuries, it's remained a constant in Albion's history. That is until _you_ stuck your _cute little nose_ into our business." The man said, leaning down to flick Lionheart on his nose for emphasis. "Tell me, are these names familiar? Thag, Ripper, Darius Zing, _Nicky the Nickname_. You may not realize this... but uh, you see, you were um... oh yeah, killing my business asociates. Not directly, I mean, with some of them most definitely, but there was Nicky the Nickname who got killed by the now Town Sheriff, and then there was Dex the 'Beheader' never did like the name, but, you see you helped fund the man who had him hung, and then there was Reaver-"

Lionheart gave him a look of disbelief. "No, no! I'm serious, same Reaver that went to the Spire. Him, I'm not too pissed about, it's just that, the rest of us were hounding him, we were going to get him impeached, by which I mean killed, since he almost broke our bank on numerous occasions, but now we can't get to him."

"If it helps, he's in Samarkand." Lionheart told him.

"Oh, yes, so I heard." Gentleman Jim said. "Doesn't help much though. Thing is, you've been putting our council members out of commission, and, uh, you see the thing is, there are standards, you see, we can't let you go around doing that, and we've got to kill you. It's nothing personal, I mean, I wouldn't spare you if given a choice, you've killed a great many of my men... we've all got our own specific reason's, well most of us left. Siren told you about Bob I'm guessing, not really my business to discuss it. Okay, I bet I know what your thinking now, how do these people intend to keep me imprisoned, I the great Lionheart who escaped the Spire? I was thinking that we keep your blushing bride as a means of keeping you cooperative, now don't worry about her coming to harm otherwise, believe it or not, most of the men here have standard, and they respect you as a warrior enough to know not to got there, but, those chains on your hands were specially made in Vistulia during the Civilian Revolt for restraining Hero's, it can't be broken by brute strength, disable's Will, and you not gonna be able to wriggle out of it. Any questions?"

Lionheart thought to himself for a while. "Why did you let my children go?"

"I honestly, have no friggin' clue." The man said, shaking his head. "They were supposed to be here, but they aren't. I can see Siren's already pissed off as is, so I'm not gonna bother asking her. Anything else?"

Lionheart thought for another while, and shook his head.

"In that case, I'll be leaving. Oh, by the way, I hope those don't scar." He said indicating his bleeding cheeks, leaving Lionheart in his cold dank cell once more.

* * *

Rose dragged herself onto the beach, dripping and _sopping_ wet. It was colder here than in Westcliff she observed, as some of the snow was five feet deep. She carried herself away from the docks and the busy crate carriers, and into some farmhouse, leaving the young pirate looking boy to his fate. Inside the farmhouse was only slightly warmer than outside, but she was willing to accept that.

She took off her coat and set it on a hook beside a sleeping cow, and proceeded to take off the rest of her clothes. One survival trick she had learned was that no clothes were better than wet clothes. She brought her coat and her clothes to the back of the barn, and set them aside. Shivering badly, she grabbed a bunch of hay, and took out a small box of tinder. Fortunately, the flint and tinder remained dry in it's waterproof box, and she lit the hay with ease, though it soon burned out.

Rose gather all the spare wood available in the immediate area, from small twigs, to the broken off handle from a dust pan, and tried again, this time making a sizable fire to warm her and her clothes. She then sat on the large hay pile behind her using it to help warm her, hoping to the Heavens that a spark didn't land on it and set herself ablaze. Though, that would warm her up pretty quickly. _'I have got to think my plans through more. It may be one thing to risk my life, but what if I do something like this to Sparrow? First thing's first big girl, regain the feeling in your toes.'_

Rose watched the fire as it helped dry her clothes and warm her back to normal body temperature. It had a long way to go, but as long as nobody noticed, things could go well.

"Is that a fire?" She heard a voice say.

_'Crap.'_


	6. A Great Tragedy Befalls

Rejoice Ch. 6

Rose immediately doused her fire, and hid herself in the hay. She hoped that whoever it was soon left. She got no such luck. Instead the person walked in with a soft tap-tap of a walking stick until they came to her little campsite, where they wouldn no doubt see her clothes hung to dry. However, instead of examing her makeshift clothesline, the person kept tap-taping their walking stick. Rose came to the surface of the Hay enough to get a look at the person. The person was actually a girl, about the same age as her, her back was turned, so the only distinguishing feature was her orange hair. The clothe's she wore were not unlike the clothe's Rose traditionally wore herself, with the same color scheme, red and white, though it seemed as though she had more layer's on.

After a bit, the person's walking stick, which equaled the girl's height, hit the small lump of ashes were her small fire once burned. A crinkle sound of burnt wood cracking, and charcoal crumbling was heard, and the person brought the other end of their staff to their nose, and sniffed it. Odd. She then continued to where her clothes were, but kept tap-taping with her stick. Rose let out a sigh as the girl touched her jacket with the end of her stick smeared with ash.

At that moment, the girl wheeled around, and wielding her walking stick like a sword, slashed through the hay stack, and hitting Rose on the head, not only causing a splitting headache, but also knocking her out of cover and into the freezing cold.

"OW!!! What the bloody hell was that for!?" She cried out rubbing her head, trying to get up.

"Hmm, I don't think you live here." The girl said, waking towards her. Then Rose noticed the Bandages that covered her eye's. The girl grabbed Rose's shoulder, and started feeling her way around her, such as her face. "You'll have to excuse me, I thought you might have been one of those Giant Beetles."

"W-well I'm not." Rose said. The girl continued to feel Rose, going around her other shoulder, and to parts Rose really didn't want to be touched.

"C-c-c-could please, c-c-cut that-t-t out?"Rose said.

"Your not wearing a shirt." The girl observed, not bothering to move her hand.

"Yes-s-s I'm not-t wearing a b-b-b-b-blood-dy shirt-t-t, I know th-that." Rose chattered, slapping the girl's hand's away.

"Take this." The girl said, taking off her own jacket, revealing her bare shoulders to the cold, and giving it to Rose, who took it gratefully.

"Aren't-t-t you c-c-c-c-cold?" She asked, putting on the jacket.

"Of course, it's winter, but your shivering, and not wearing a shirt-" The girl then put her hand on Rose's hips. "Or a skirt, or pair of pants."

"Huh, I j-jumped int-t-to the b-bloody sea, and I didn't want to be in my c-c-clothe's when they froz-z-ze over." Rose explained, stamping her feet, and rubbing her arms in an attempt to keep warm.

"Well," The girl said, taking off her scarf. "This should help with the lack of clothing downstairs." The girl then began to unravel the scarf, which unfolded into the size of a large blanket. It was the same type of scarf the Gypsies wore, made of a thin fabric akin to silk. The girl folded it up a few times unti it was appropriate skirt length, and wrapped it around her waist, helping Rose keep the feeling in her legs.

"T-thanks, I reall-l-ly owe you." Rose said. "What's your name?"

"Chelsea." The girl said.

"R-Rose." Rose said, grabbing the girl's hand and giving her a firm handshake.

"Ah, I've been looking for you." The girl said.

"Y-you have?" Rose asked.

"Yes, this old man took me in, and he told me to look for you." She explained. "Follow me, I have a campfire in the woods." She then turned and left the barn, and with nothing better to do, Rose gathered up her clothes and followed.

"Hey, the old man, did he wear b-blue robes and look like a King?" Rose asked, chasing after her.

"I wouldn't know." The girl said, keeping a brisk pace into the woods. "Though he did give off a regal atmposphere."

"What was his name?" Rose asked.

"He told me, but I forget it. Weird." She muttered.

"Here we go again." Rose muttered.

* * *

"Excuse me." Said a man in a blue striped suit said walking into the dark council room.

"Ah, I was wondering when we'd hear from you." Said the head of the Highwayman's Guild leaning against the wall.

"Yes, please excuse me Jim, you know I am rarely late, but my contact in Westcliff has come across some interesting charges." The man said.

"Really? How interesting?"

"Well, I have asked around, and learned of Siren's supposed failure." The man said.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure, not unless you want her kick you in the face with those pointy shoes of hers." Jim mused.

"Regardless, I heard that the Hero's children managed to escape, no?"

"Yeah, they escaped, escaped the men who infiltrated the Bowerstone guard, don't know where they are."

"Well, that is fortunate, as the man in Westcliff happens to be in caring for the children this moment."

"Really? You mean that loon you told me about?"

"Indeed, the very one."

"Well then, if your sure, what are you waiting for?"

"I simply wanted you to be informed before I took action, and for the appropriate ammount of men to be in Westcliff to occupy the guards. That and I didn't want to be any more late than I already was." The man said before leaving.

* * *

"Okay, good salutations everyone!" Barnum said, walking into the children's bedroom, doing his best to wake everyone up.

"Come on atmos Tommy, Jenna, you too Daniel, and little Joseph too!" Barnum said, firing off a device he had invented specifically to make loud noises.

"Yeah, this I don't miss." Jenna said, wiping the sleep dust from her eyes.

"Wha!" Daniel yelped as he was woken unexpectedly.

"Up and at'em it is." Thomas said, shifting his legs over the bed.

When Barnum got to Joseph, the little baby giggled when Barnum's muggy face came into view.

"What's the point of having a winter vacation, if we still have to wake up in the bloody morning?" Jennna asked, turning over, and pulling the covers over her head. In response, Barnum fired his noisemaker right next to her head, which helped get her out of bed very effiecently when she practically dropped out of bed in response.

"Early to bed, early to rise!" Barnum said cheerfully.

"Makes a man old, and blind in the eyes." Jenna said from the floor. Thomas soon appeared and helped her get up.

"You got to be kidding me." Daniel exclaimed. "Sun's just beggining to rise!"

"Hey, with life I exemplificate, you need to be up at all probable hours of the day." Barnum said. "And if'n your staying, it's best you remplicate, no?" With that he left, sounding his noisemaker once more before closing the door.

"You know, some days, I could really kill that guy." Jenna said, getting up from her covers.

* * *

"So they are the same person." Rose lamented. Rose had made her way to the girls, Chelsea, campsite where a makeshift tent with some firewood that needed little prompting to be lit were. Rose placed her clothes near the fireplace to warm, and the two conversed, talking about the Man who helped bring Chelsea to Oakfield, and Rose to Bowerstone.

"It would explain why he told me to wait for you." The girl explained, taking a drink from a mug. "Would you like some tea?"

"Who doesn't like tea?" Rose responded, near desperate to get something warm in her. "So, the old codger just said that I would be here?"

"Yes he did." Chelsea said, pouring Rose her drink from the kettle.

"And you... just did as he said?" She asked.

"Yes. Before he found me, I had little purpose in life. He found me, and helped me survive." She responded, holding out Rose's drink witch she took.

"Either he must have found you while I wasn't looking, or he's been mighty busy since the beggining of winter." Rose commented, bringing the warm drink to her mouth and taking a sip. "So, what now?"

"Well, as I said before, I have little purpose in life, few ties to others, and I am sure I was to meet you for some purpose, do you have anything I might assist in?" She asked, taking another sip from her drink.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." Rose said, placing her cup on the ground for a moment. "Whole thing sounds like a bunch of bullocks to me. I mean, the old man's already ripped me off once, and I've been burned quite a few times trusting strangers with considerable hospitality in the last few days. How can I trust you?"

"You can't." Chelsea said, taking a few more sips from her drink. "You can only have my good word. Mind you though, if I ever catch you doing something unsavory, you'll come to regret it."

"Yeah sure." Rose scoffed. She remembered the near thrashing in the barn, but she had been both freezing, _and_ naked. The sheer riduculousness of the notion shocked her as she looked back on it. Here she was, supposed to be the serious type. Well, here's hoping she not gonna lose any toes to frostbite.

"Regardless though, I believe I will follow you anyway." Chelsea said, putting her cup down. "If nothing else, it would be interesting to get know the woman who goes skinny dipping in the Albion Sea. During Winter."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault, it was this damned pirate." Rose said hotly.

"Of course." Chelsea said.

* * *

"Oh, yes, Daniel me boy, could you hand me that codsprottle?" Barnum asked as the kids helped him from his workshop.

Daniel shrugged in response to which Jenna explained "The flintlock mechanism."

"Excuse, me, but is it me, or did that last one sound like a dirty word?" Daniel asked, handing the gun peice to Barnum.

"Well excuse me." Barnum said indignantly. "You know, you happen to be one of five people who even know about this computation? You should feel honored."

"Oh, he doesn't mean it uncle Barnum." Thomas told him. "You just take some getting used to, is all." Currently, Barnum, doing his best to entertain his favorite kids in the world, and Daniel, was having them aid him in his latest endeavor, as they fussed over a table that had an old flintlock rifle they were using as reference, while Derek laid his head near Barnum's feet and his walking stick, while Jenna and Thomas' little brother slept peacefully in their room.

"Remind me what we're doing?" Jenna asked.

"I verbicated didn't I? We're making a miniturized-like model of the space gun. Thought it would be better than elasticating the blueprints." Barnum said.

"So you gonna build this here? In Westcliff?" Daniel asked.

"No, no, I think not, not with the bandit coast being so proximitly, and the wheather, I was thinking maybe one of the beachs in Bloodstone, or maybe Southcliff. I have always wanted to journiate there." Barnum pondered.

At that, someone knocked at the door. "Thomas old lad, could you explicate that?" Barnum asked.

Thomas quickly got to the door, and returned with a man in a blue pin-striped suit.

"Hey, uncle Barnum, that guy from yesterday want's to see you." Thomas said.

"Oh, why yes, Mr. Clockman, is this about that man you know from the colonies?" Barnum asked.

"Oh, Mr. Benedict? Well, his work is quite eventful, though at this point, irrelevant. No, you see, I came here, because of my contacts south of here, want the children in this house dead."

"Uh-um, I'm sorry, I don't think I quite heard you there." Barnum said.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Barnum, I'm afraid you heard me exactly right." The man said, making no move.

"Look, I have no idea what is going on here-" Barnum said, angrily, getting off from his stool, and grabbing his cane. "-but if you want to get to these children, your going to have to go through me." Barnum said, walking up to him, and staring him down intimidatingly.

"That shouldn't pose to much of a problem." The man replied. Then, with loud crack, Barnum froze, and then fell back onto the floor, his eyes rolling up to his head, and blood, slowly leaking onto the floor from a circular wound in his chest. At this Derek the Dog barked madly at him, and would have lunged for his neck had Jenna not grabbed onto his collar and stopped him.

The man in the blue pin-striped suit's only reaction was to pull up his pistol, and wipe the barrel clean, before looking at Jenna and Daniel who were huddled together.

"You know, I genuinely was interested in you endeavor Mr. Barnum, but I'm sorry to say I have to terminate our business relationship. Still though, out of all the pseudonyms I've used over the years, the one I gave to you, has no doubt been the worst, yet you still bought it. 'Clockman', sound's like the bad guy in cheesey mystery novel written by Meredith Sock too, not like those are hard to find. As for you." He said, aiming the gun at the Jenna and Daniel, huddling together, with Derek being held back by Jenna, growling menacingly at him. "Know I take no pleasure in this, but-"

The man was interupted by another, louder crack, and the man slowly raised his eyes toward the ceiling, and he collapsed on his knees, and slumped on to the floor. As his blood mingled with Barnum's, Jenna and Daniel saw the attacker was none other than Thomas, wielding the rifle Barnum had used as reference, and all he did under the disbelieving stares was to push up his large spectacles.

"You _shot_ him?" Jenna asked incredulously.

"Well I didn't see you two doing anything!" Thomas replied.

The man moaned slightly, and in response, Jenna stomped on his foot, likely breaking his hand. Then Jenna and Thomas ran to Barnum and flipped him over to see if he was alright.

"Come on, wake up, wake up! You blimey codger!" Jenna said, shaking him, genuinely scared and worried for him.

"Oh, uh." He responded, coughing up a little blood.

"Do you think he's okay?" Jenna asked Thomas frantically.

"I don't know." Was all he could say.

"Don't give me that, is he okay?!" She demanded from him.

"Look, calm down, there's no need to yell!" Daniel said.

Out in the center of the town of Westcliff, a bell rang out, the kind that were once used as church bells in the olden days, but now only used to alert the town of danger.

"That's not good." Thomas said.

"Uncle Barnum, please don't go!" Jenna said, beggining to tear up.

"It's- it's okay." Barnum muttered. "Wouldn't be the f-first time I've been blamgonged."

"Barnum! You okay!" Jenna cried happily, hugging him for dear life. This not only aggitated his old gunshot wound, but also his current one, but he didn't complain, instead, he said;

"I can't remember the last time you gave me a hug." Weakly putting his hand on her head in an attempt to pat it.

"We got to get this guy out of here." Daniel muttered.

"To me offi-ack!-office." Barnum said weakly. Thomas put the rifle over his shoulder, and grabbed one of Barnum's arms while Jenna grabbed the other. Together, they carried him upstairs, and to his office.

Barnum's office is quite the sight to behold. Business documents littered desks and tables, side-by-side with blueprints, and creative doodles, with models for past endeavors Barnum has gone through, but the most noticable feature were the pictures that covered every square inch of the walls. The settings ranged from Westcliff, to Oakfield, to Brightwood, to Bowerstone, some were of beatiful works of nature, but most were of people, from cousin's to aunts, even a few of Barnum himself. mostly people who got bored of waiting the the three month develifying time. But most noticeably were the pictures of Jenna, and Thomas, and their parents.

The two youngsters set Barnum down against his table, with Jenna and Thomas on either side of him, Daniel looking out the window, and Derek watching the door. Barnum then pointed to a table, and Jenna opened the drawer to reveal some medical supplies. Jenna took them out, and did what she could to heal him up.

"Why does he have a doctor's kit in here?" Daniel asked.

"F-first aid kits. Was supposed to more popular than the pox." Barnum muttered.

"Alright, I think I'm supposed to put these round the wound..." Jenna muttered, wrapping white linens over Barnum's chest, tying them with a knot.

"Thanks." Barnum said. He then pointed on top of a set of drawers, to a specific picture. "Get that for me, will you?" Jenna quickly got up, and returned with the framed picture, giving it to Barnum. "First one I took." He mumbled.

"Guys, I think we need to get out of here." Daniel said, peering out the window, and seeing the town Guards deeling with some type of militia outside.

"Here." Barnum said, taking the picture out of it's frame, and giving it to Jenna. "Keep that will you, don't want it anhilixec."

"What?" Daniel exclaimed.

"Destroyed." Thomas told him.

"What are you going on about?" Jenna asked him.

"In my desk... bag of coins, get it for me." Barnum said to Thomas. Thomas went through his desk and found a bag that easily held about a hundred coins.

"What do you want with this?" Thomas asked.

"They want you dead." Barnum said. "I don't want that to happen. Get out, qui-*cough-cough*-qui-quickly."

"And what, leave you here?" Thomas asked.

"Yes." Barnum told him.

"We can't!" He exclaimed.

"Do it." Barnum said weakly.

"We... we have to." Jenna said, getting up.

"What!?" Thomas exclaimed. "You can't be serious!"

"These are the same people who took Mum and Sparrow!" Jenna told him. "They want us too now for whatever reason, and if we stay here, they will get us!"

"We can't leave Barnum behind!" Thomas argued. "What do you want us to do, go and find our parents ourselves? We're only children!"

"We're the children of a Hero! We have to do something! No one else is!" Jenna argued.

"Meanwhile, while you two argue, the bad men that want to kill us, are getting closer!" Daniel said, getting inbetween the two. "I don't want this man dead either." He said, indicating Barnum. "But we have to come to a decision now!" Thomas could see in Daniel's eyes that he was scared of what was to happen next. He was right, a decision had to be made now.

* * *

Hello anyone and everyone reading! I just want to ask for opinions, and for reviews. At the beggining of the story there were tons of reviews about how good it was, and now... not so much. I'm not really sure what to think. Honestly, if makes me think that I've messed up somehow, and made the story dull, of uninteresting. If so tell me what I'm doing wrong! If not, just tell me it's still ok, or completely awesome, or whatever. I like reading people's opinions on this!

Sincerely, SAmaster01


	7. Home Sweet Home

Rejoice Ch. 7

Jenna felt sick as the boat slowly rocked back and forth, and it had very little to do with seasickness of any kind.

Daniel sat across her, with Derik laying his head across his lap.

Thomas held onto the old flintlock rifle staring out the porthole.

"I wish I brought my book." Thomas said, the first thing he had said in awhile.

"Shut up Tommy." Jenna muttered.

"What book was is?" Daniel asked.

"It was my favorite. _'The Modern Heroes'_." He told him. "It talked about the common man's hero. It starts with the Oakvale Anti-Hero league, all the way up to just before Dad was born. It talked about people like Thresher Jim, the White Judge, Captain Dread-"

"I said shut up Tommy." Jenna said more loudly.

Thomas looked a Jenna for a moment and sighed, looking back at the old flintlock rifle.

Jenna stared blankly ahead, still angry at the two boys infront of her.

Daniel, not sure what to do, he scratched the dogs ear. He wished he could say something to cheer his two friends up. Especially Thomas.

And so the three sat, waiting in silence as the boat rocked back, and creaked slightly.

"You ever get the feeling we've forgotten something?" Thomas asked.

"I said shut up Tommy." Jenna muttered once more.

And the silence resumed.

And it stayed like that until the boat stopped in Oakfield.

* * *

As they exited the docks, Daniel looked around for a bit. "So you two used to live here for a bit?" He asked.

"Yeah." Thomas said distractedly. "We were born in Bowerstone, but moved here until Dad disappeared."

"And then you lived in Bowerstone." Daniel stated.

"Yeah, until Dad came back." Thomas told him. "We used to live in this big magic farm."

"Heh." Daniel said. "With magic chickens?"

"Shut up Danni." Jenna said scornfully.

"Come on Jenna! We need to figure out what to do next!" Daniel implored her.

"Next?" Jenna asked. "How about we head back to the gypsy camp and kill our granparents?"

"Come on Jenna, don't snap at Daniel, he's just trying to help." Thomas said, coming to his friends aid.

Jenna hmmphed at that. She moved steadily forward through the town, scowling at anything that moved.

Daniel sighed. "Thanks... for helping me Tom."

"It's okay." Thomas said.

"So do you have any idea where we're heading?"

Thomas looked ahead for a bit before answering. "Home."

* * *

Daniel watched as his two friends walked into the twisting portal that had distorted their outlines. With a deep breath, he followed them.

What he felt as he came through was indescribable. He then found himself on the dirt path that lead to an ideal little cottage, with a windmill that lay on a hill, and a well on the other side of the path, with a thick blanket of snow covering the ground, and the cottage's roof, with a few lamps long unlit on the side of the path.

However, Daniel didn't notice this, as he came face-to-face with Thomas, and there wasn't an inch between their faces.

"Um... hi." Daniel said pathetically, his face beggining to blush.

"Good to see you made it." Thomas said with a smile.

"You two can make out later." Jenna said icily. "Come on already." She walked up the path towards the house, with a dark cloud hanging over her.

Thomas and Daniel sighed, but Daniel was simply glad that their awkward moment was over. "She'll get over this eventually, right?" Daniel asked.

"She'll get that we didn't have much of a choice." Thomas said.

"How do you feel about what we had to do, leaving your uncle behind?" Daniel asked.

"Like crap." Thomas answered.

Daniel nodded, and put his hand on Thomas' shoulder. "I'm here for you."

"Thanks."

* * *

Jenna shoved the door open, and the door protested, but Jenna, as usual, won out. She stepped inside, not even bothering to wipe her shoes, and took a deep breath.

"There's no place like home." She muttered.

Thomas and Daniel stepped in too. The lights were out, and the place wasn't much warmer than outside.

"I'll get a fire started." Thomas said. "There should still be some firewood outside." With that he left, leaving Daniel and Jenna together.

"You okay?" Daniel tried.

Jenna sighed. "No, Danni, I'm not okay. So please stop trying to play mediator. OK?" With that she started searching the cabinets.

Derek whined haplessly outside the door, his eye's lowered pitifully.

"Oh, Derek, I'm not mad at you, get in here." Jenna said. Derek barked happily and bounded inside. "Make no mistake, I still don't want a peep out of you Danni."

Daniel just grabbed a chair, and sat down with a defeated sigh, not sure what to do.

Thomas soon came back with armfulls of firewood, covered in frost. They migrated to the living room, but the wet wood took the better part of an hour to light.

Daniel took the time to admire the house, it seemed indescribably old, but the grade of the work seemed by on par of the house's of earl's and dukes. Never mind the fact that the farmhouse was hidden behind an ageless magic portal.

The furniture was a different story, it seemed much more on par with modern times, yet a slight layer of dust covered it. Daniel remembered that his friends had only moved back to Bowerstone late last fall.

By the time a healthy fire, the sun had set, and the need for a fire had peeked, so all were grateful that it had been successfully lit in the hearth.

As they crowded around the fire, nobody said anything. Until Daniel finally piped up "Can we talk now?"

"Fine, Danni, what do you want to talk about?" Jenna said with a sigh.

"Well... we need to figure what to do next." Daniel said finally.

"Alright." Jenna said, getting up. "What to do next?" She opened one last cabinet, and pulled out a weapon. An old Iron sword.

Derek whined by the fire as she played with it.

"What is that?" Daniel asked.

"It's Dad's old sword." Thomas answered. "It was the one he used before we were born."

"What I'm going to do next, is run this through any unlucky bastard that come's between my and my mother and father."

Daniel and Thomas sighed. "Well it's a start." Thomas said.

"We need to find these people, and make sure they never mess with our family." Jenna continued.

"Alright, how do we find them?" Daniel asked.

"No Daniel, we've already gotten over our heads in trouble. You don't have to follow us." Thomas told him.

"No, I want to stay with you guys." Daniel said. "I've always felt envious of you guys, going off on adventures all the time, this is a chance for me to be part of that."

"Believe it or not Danni, we don't do this kind of thing every Tuesday." Jenna told him.

"Yeah, but I still want to be there for you guys." Daniel told them. "You guys are my best friends."

Jenna sighed. "Alright, you're staying with us then."

"Good." Daniel said with finality.

"Alright, so you take our parent's bed then." Jenna stated. "We'll be staying in our old ones."

Daniel was a little confused by her statement. "Don't you guys want it? I mean, it is bigger isn't it?"

"Do you _know_ what they did on that thing? No thank you." Jenna told the boy.

So when the fire went out, they walked up the stairs, ignoring the faint red stain on them, and retreated to the bedrooms.

* * *

_"No, you my dear lady, it is unfortunate, but you, will be the one burning tonight."_

_*BANG*_

_Jenna tried to stay calm but she couldn't, not with that sound, not with that voice. She elbowed her brother in the face, adding to the tears that already doused his eyes, and ran forward, out of their room, and towards the stairs. _

_She was met by an old man with wisp-white hair, and in dark expensive clothes, and wielding a menacing pistol. And behind him were big mean soldiers wrapped head to toe in black and red. _

_She screamed and charged at them with all her might, but was shot by him, right in her shoulder. She clutched the wound, but the man's look was one without pity. _

_Her brother came from their room, and he saw Jenna clutching her shoulder as blood came out from it. His face was a look of fear. _

_He then turned to look at the uncompassionate man, and stared him down, knowing his own end. The old man shot the child without remorse. Her brother fell slowly onto the floor. The old man leisurely walked into their room, and then silenced the screaming babe in it's cradle._

_The man came back from the room, and reloaded his gun. As she looked on at him, she felt her bravery, her anger, her hate at this man, all fade away to fear as he held the gun to her head. _

_And pulled the trigger without an ounce of remorse or regret. _

* * *

Jenna and Thomas woke up together, sweating and panting, eye's wide open. They both got up together, and when they saw eachother's eye's they knew that each of them had seen the same nightmare.

They got up as they heard thumping at the door, but relaxed when they saw Daniel at the doorway.

"You guys okay?" He asked. "I heard screaming."

"It's okay." Thomas said, trying to slow down his heart. "It was just the nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Daniel asked, joining him on the bed.

"Yeah, the same stupid one, over and over." Jenna said, flopping over.

"What was it?" Daniel asked.

"It wouldn't be that bad, if wasn't for the fact we keep seeing it." Jenna said.

"Over and over, ever since we moved back to Bowerstone." Thomas said.

"Both of you?" He asked.

"Yeah, we've had the same dream before, this is just the first time we keep seeing the same one over and over again." Thomas said. "We think it's a twin thing."

"Yeah, it's the worst when there the really odd or embarrassing one, when we're not sure who's dream it was to begin with." Jenna said. "Tommy, do remember that one where we were in Gaulia, and-"

"Jenna stop!" Thomas said quickly.

"What was it." Daniel asked.

"You would have liked it Danni." Jenna said, leaving it at that.

"So what _does_ happen in the dreams?" Daniel asked.

"We... die." Thomas said. "Dad's gone, and then these men come here, right here, our home. They kill the chickens, and that wakes us up. Mum tells us to stay put, and then she starts yelling at them. Then they kill her. I tried to keep Jenna from going down there, but she get's free, and she goes after them. They shoot her, and then I come to see what happens, and I see her bleeding, and then he shoots me. He goes into our room, and kills Joseph, and then he come's back, and he kills Jenna."

"Oh, CRAP!" Jenna said, sitting up right. "We forgot baby Joseph!"

"We what? Oh CRAP!" Thomas exclaimed. "I knew we were forgetting something."

"We just left our baby brother in a town-" She searched for a word.

"Beleaguered." Thomas offered.

"Beleaguered by bandits! How stupid are we!" Jenna groaned. "Thomas, this is your fault! You were supposed to watch over Joseph!"

Thomas looked up and sighed. "You know what Jenna? If is all my fault. Okay, I said it. Are you happy?"

Jenna was quiet for a moment before, begrudgingly saying: "No."

* * *

_Dear Diary, it has been a horribly long time since I last wrote in you. I just recently found a pencil, and I've had an off year. _

_I dont know what happened, but after the last time I wrote in you, I woke up in this __huge__ forest, it was fall now instead of winter, and there's this old man in blue looking over me. He was a scary sort, but he had on all this jewelry and finery, I thought he was a King. Had me wrighte a letter to Sparrow, promised he could give it to him through an old friend of his. _

_Anyway, since he's the only person who seems to know the way to __civic __civilisation, I had to follow him, and find out how much of an utter grump the man is. The odd thing was, I could never really remember his name. We spent the better part of the year in that forest, and not once did we find a single road. _

_The old man, as __anon__ annoying as he was, did help me a little, taught me to live off the land, an important skill for someone like me. But he always expected me to do everything, never helped me with anything. _

_Anyway, one day, its winter again, we end up back in __Bowerstone__ again. He then goes on to tell me that Sparrows in Fairfax Castle. I didnt' believe him, but he insisted. I figured, why the hell not? and went up to Fairfax Gardens, getting a lot of dirty looks mind you, and I see the butler, who believe it or not, let's me in. He actually lets me in, its just as __buae__baue__buae__ pretty as I imagined. He brings me to the study, but he introduces me to Lord __Lionheart__, not Lucien, but a Lionheart. I don't know who he is, but hes to busy writing something down. _

_I tell him about Sparrow, and he turns around like he's seen a ghost, and insists that __hes__ Sparrow. The __Loodi Ludichri__ craziness of it all. I ran, the butler helped me out, gave me this really nice coat, and I just decided to look for Sparrow meself in Old Town. Cept Old Town doesn't look like it used to. Everythings fixed, nothings broken, it looks like how I dreamed me and Sparrow would someday live. Something was off. I tried to find mine and Sparrow's little spot, but instead, it was this one places garden. _

_I didn't know what to do, but then I __camacross__ bumped into Arfur, and he looks like he's __sistey__ sixty or somethin. I don't get it, everythings different. He tried coming on to me, but this one girl, Jenna, kicks his ass right and proper, and invites me to stay the night with her, insultingly at least, but a warm fire was better than the freeze. _

_I came in, and later her mum come in with her drunk dad over her shoulder, puts him to bed, and runs off. _

_Jenna wants to look at her dads __mial__ letters, and one of them, just so happens to be __mine.__ Its the same letter I wrote to Sparrow, and it was in his pocket. Somethin was fishy, so at the crack of dawn I snuck into the room and stole back my letter, and I find __you__ dear diary to._

_Also, it turns out that this guy really is the lord of Bowerstone, and I think he killed Lucien to get the title._

_I'll tell you more later Diary, but right now, this girl I'm with finished her rabbit stew, and I'm hungry._

_-Rose._

* * *

"Okay, Sparrows old equipment should still be good." Jenna said, as she looked through some of his old closests. "I found his old sword, but I think I was lucky. But at least we should find some proper jackets in here.

"Your parents seemed to move out of here pretty quickly." Daniel observed. Jenna tried to put on one of her mothers old fur jackets, but a majority of it heaped around her legs.

"Yeah, one night Sparrow came all tired looking, and up and insisted we move. Don't know why, but we didn't quite like it here anyway." Jenna said, putting on a shortsleeved shirt that would do a decent job as a layer amongst others. "Hey Tommy, here, I think this is one of the belts Sparrow used to holster his weapons." She said, passing a strip of leather to Thomas.

"Where'd you go?" Daniel asked, looking over Jenna's shoulder.

"Brightwood, remember? We stayed a year in that tower." Jenna said. "Here try this hat on." She put on a three way pointed hat on Daniel and looked at him for a bit. "Nah." She dismissed, and instead put on a paupers hat on him. "There we go, no-one will notice you." She then put the three pointed hat on Thomas. "Though I hate to admit it, you don't look half-bad with it on."

It did certainly give him an appearence.

"And before you ask Danni, I trying to layer up for the cold." Jenna said, heading back into the closet. "If we're lucky, we can get this whole thing solved before you parents return from vacation." She came back with thin see through sheet that her mother used as a head-wrap, carefully she wrapped it around her own skull, tying it off at the end. "The people who have been attacking are bandits, so we have to learn more about them, and we got to do it without bumping into that Rose girl."

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know if you've noticed Danni, but everytime we bump into her, bandits attack." Jenna answered. "I want to make her pay for what happened to our parents, Barnum, and Joseph." It was only this resolve that was keeping her focused on moving on, and not snapping at everything that moved at this point.

"I don't know any more people who would want to help us, or could." Jenna continued, finding a small leather vest just her size.

"Well, let's see, Dad's hero friends are all out of the country. Lil would want to help us-"

"We're not involving her, we already know there are Bandits in that city, we can't get her hurt." Jenna refuted.

"Okay, then who else?"

"I don't know... maybe if we just tried to dissapear for a bit..." Jenna muttered.

"What if we stayed here?" Daniel asked. "Nobody knows about this place, right?"

"Yeah, except, that there's no food here, and I don't want to be scrounging around, and nothing ever passes through here, we would accomplish nothing, and nothing would have changed." Jenna stated. "Put on this wooly thing." She said, handing it to Daniel.

"I have an idea, but you may not like it Jenna." Thomas stated.

_

* * *

_

Dear Diary, same day, soup was good.

_I believe, yep, that I was talking about how my week has been. __Horrid__._

_I escaped the looneys house, and I met this blind old gypsy, offered me hot chocolate, and a place to rest. Im not stupid, but I could've taken her. She read me my __fortoon__ fortune, a lot of it didn't make sense. _

_Later, though, I fell asleep, to be fair, I stayed up all night, in the looneys house, and I haven't had a warm place to sleep in who knows how long._

_Anyway, when I wake up, we're halfway to who knows where, I just know I wanted to get out of the town run by that looney, I mean what has this country gone to?_

_It turns out that the looneys kids have run away, I couldn't have blamed them, but it turns out that bandits had attacked their home and kidnapped their parents. Must have been __loock __looking for a bounty or somethin. As crazy as they are, I can't help but feel a little sorry for them, though that girl seemed to think I was related for some reason. _

_The old lady took us to some place called Westcliff, don't know why, but Im just glad she didn't sell us to slavers. I woke up in bed, and Barnum, I don't think I mentioned him, before I woke up in the forest, we met this man named Barnum, he was __tessing__ testing this new device of his, gave us a gold __peic__ piece to stand in front of it, said he could make a lifelike image or whatever. Mustve taken off because he was living in this fancy house, with those images everywhere. I even found the one he had of us, took it, though I guess I shouldntve. Anyway, I overheard the girl, she said her dad was Sparrow to, though looking back on it, they could just have the same name, odd though that a girl would call her dad by his name._

_I got the hell out of there though. I jumped onto this ship, where I met a __prat__ pirate not much older than me. Crazy man. Had me jump into the bloody sea of Albion. Then I met this girl named Chelsea, apparantly she met up with the same __cogd__ coot I did, and he told her to wait for me. She kept me from __frese __freezing, so I owe her, but shes blind too, and a little off. Makes good rabbit soup though. _

_We're still in Oakvale for the moment. I don't know what to do, but I think Ill start looking in Bowerstone again for Sparrow, I cant forget about him, Im all he has. _

_-Rose_

* * *

Greetings and salutations everyone.

Again, I'm sorry I've been taking so long in writing these, this is one of my favorite stories, and I've wanted to update this for a while, but I couldn't think up any ideas for what happens in the story.

I think a lot of this has to do with the atmosphere. I started writing this last year where we had six foot snow banks, I kid you not, and it was freezing out. But when it thawed, I couldn't think of anything.

Recently, while it should still be autumn, I think the long winters we had last year is affecting the weather now, because we skipped spring, had a long and hot summer, and we've basically just skipped the cool atumn weather for the freezing chill again, and the leaves haven't even changed (Never move into Virginia.) but the cold has done a lot for my imagination.

Each part of Fable 2 was set in a particular season, his early childhood was winter, (I would like to think that his time with the gypsies was spring) his early adulthood was summer, and his later years were fall, and now it's winter again, and each season was everpresent, and that's what I try to do with this.

Additionally, I guess it's kind of late to be doing this now, since Fable 3 is coming within the month. It may be the first game I preorder. Although, there are a couple things I disagree with.

Fable 1: 1100's

Fable 2: 1700's

Fable 3: 1800's

This isn't a direct correlation. I personally think that the colonial/enlightenment period was rich for exploration, though I can understand wanting to change periods, the game takes place only fifty years after Fable 2. That's a short time for the industrial revolution to take place.

But in a addition, it also doesn't leave a lot of room for sequels if Lionhead plans to change periods each game. The most modern era I could see Fable in would be set during the first world war, a modern Fable is not something I am optimistic about.

Additionally, you play as Sparrow's Child.

Now, let's use my character's as an example. Jenna and Thomas were concieved when Sparrow was around twenty, and are now about eleven/twelve, while Joseph was concieved when Sparrow returned from the Spire. Now, if we go from fifty years from now, Jenna and Thomas are in their sixties, and Joseph is in his fifties, while Sparrow and Sarah are in their eighties. People didn't live that long back then. In addition, the games take place over a long period of time in the Heroe's lives. If we go fifty years from the begginging of the game, say when Sparrow was a kid, then the ages could fit, but this only allows for twenty years for the Industrial Revolution to take place.

I know it has been directly stated that you play as Sparrow's kid, but my personal take (And how this story would go if I ever approached that avenue) is that you play as Sparrow's Grandchild. For instance, my Sparrow, he's a humble person, and to be honest, has no experience of leading. But Jenna, for instance, would have no qualms being named princess, and could do a lot more leading when she gets older. Not to mention that at the end of the game (this could've happened to your Sparrow, not mine) Sparrow could be the opposite gender, or magically aged into a hag. If my Sparrow were to turn into a girl, she would not feel comfortable having a child with a man, and would stay true to her wife (Sarah would learn to adjust for Sparrow's sake.).

I think it would be much easier to swallow, if Jenna decided to take the crown, and then have Logan, and the Hero of Fable 3, in the midst of the revolution.

That aside, I still love the setting, just not the time difference.

Now while I still plan on getting the game, I still hope to continue this. Most likely I will incorparte some small elements from the game, like I have so far, but I don't think this will lead to the revolution just quite yet.

Now, if any wants to offer a rebuttle to my comments please do so, suggestions and critisatiions are welcom and encouraged, danke.

-Sincerely, SAmaster01


	8. On the Rookridge Road

Rejoice Ch. 8

Rose, wrapped well in scavenged cloth, her musty expensive jacket barely visible under the patchwork cloak she wore, kept walking down the road, her breath frosting infront of her face with every exhale.

Her fingers were frozen slightly, her hand wrapped tightly around a walking stick, trying to trudge through the snowy path, and ignore the whipping wind that bit her face, and the runny mucus that wanted so desperately to drip out of her nose.

Overall she felt miserable. Chelsea on the otherhand, walked on ahead with no apparant problem, her head held high.

It got so annoying that Rose couldn't stop herself from commenting.

"I thought-t that you were going to follow me." Rose stated.

"I am." She stated.

"Yes, but-t-t your _leading_. I'm s-suposed to do that."

"But you're lagging behind." Chelsea said.

"Another thing, you're blind, how do you know where you're g-going?" Rose demanded.

"I just do." Chelsea stated. "I must say, you're not quite as exciting as I had imagined. Excluding the skinny dipping in the sea."

"W-would you jus-st f-forget about that." Rose grunted, as she passed a sign that said Rookridge. "I heard there's an-n inn somewhere on the road, p-p-probably best for us to stay the night there."

"Alright, I'm sure five gold coins could buy us two rooms for the night." Chelsea stated.

"I c-could feed you for a week-k with five gold coins." Rose retorted.

* * *

The two entered the inn, Rose brought her hands together, trying to rub some warmth back into them, stamping her feet, and enjoying the not-cold.

"Bloody cold, seems to be getting no better, don't you agree?" One of the bar patrons asked.

"I must agree, I enjoy the snow, seeing the little tykes getting into snowball fights, but the 'olidays are over, I wanna to get the feeling back into my toes."

"Okay, how about this then?" Another person said. "Eh hrrm-hrm-

_The white snowfall-  
comes long and hard,  
small children run, and so do their noses- _

_the life of a bard  
as hard as it is,  
ain't all lilies, daisies, and roses- _

_for fear of frostbite, slipping and falling-  
I want to see the flowers, so enough of the stalling!_"

"Well better than the last one." One of them said.

"Thank you very much." He said.

"Excuse me sir?" Rose said, going up to the bar.

"Hey missy, ain't you a little young to be asking for drinks?" The Bartender said with a grin.

"I'm fourteen I'll have you now." Rose said grumpily.

"Still means you got a wait a couple years." The bartender told her.

"We're here looking to stay the night." Rose said, putting down five gold coins on the counter.

"Okay, but you're gonna have to pay for the rooms." The bartender told her.

"And what do you think this is?" Rose asked.

"Pocket change." He answered. "A rooms fifteen gold a night."

"What, that's bloomin ridiculous!" Rose exclaimed. "This is enough money for a week's worth of food!"

"Where? Bloodstone?" The bartender laughed.

"Fine, we'll work for the rooms." Rose said.

"Sorry, you're not old enough." The bartender stated.

"Since when is they're a freaking age limit?" Rose yelled.

"Since you're not high enough to reach over the counter, when." The Bartender explained.

"Don't worry little ones, I'll pay." Said one of the men who was sitting over at the table. He was of a dark complection, wearing clothes of bright blues and yellows, a tall hat that looked like it had been a potato sack rested on his head, while a lute was strapped to his back.

"Here we are, thirty gold." The man said, putting a small bag of coins on the counter. "You weren't really gonna send out these poor girls into the cold, were you?"

"Maybe." The bartender said, counting the coins.

"Come, why don't you girls join us at the table?" The man proposed.

"We may as well." Chelsea stated. Rose shrugged, and joined the group at the table nearest the blazing fire.

"Hi, nice to meet you girls, what are you doing here?" One of the men asked, wrapped in a middle class suit, and scarf.

"Um, trying to get to Bowerstone." Rose answered.

"I see. Names Mr. Tombs." Said the man. "Been trying to get there myself, was spending some time with my family in Oakfield, but I've been trying to head back to the City. The other guy is in the opposite position."

The other man looked like he might of carried crates for a living, he was a large man, with an impressive beard, and beneath his headwrap, what appeared to be a receding hairline.

"Jack." The man said.

"Nice to meet you Jack." Chelsea said.

"No, I was talkin' to the waitress, Jack o' Blades cocktail." The man said. "Names Hardy."

"And I of course, in case you did not recognize me, am the world renowned travelling bard, Roland." Said the the third man, the one who payed for their rooms. "Two Bowerstone Browns for the girls please."

"Right away." Said the Waitress.

"Drinks for the likes of us?" Said Chelsea.

"It's not like anyone ever cares when you drink." Hardy said.

"Why not some hot chocolate?" Mr. Tombs asked.

"It's expensive, and only ever good if it's homemade." Roland answered.

"I'd want a hot drink, aren't beers supposed to be served cold?" Rose asked, not caring much either way.

"Some beers are better warm." Hardy told her.

"Alcohol warms ya up from the inside." Mr. Tombs answered.

"That's what they've been telling me." Roland said. "Between me and you girls, I'm still a little new to the whole alcohol thing."

"Hey may I ask a question?' Mr. Tombs asked. "What happened to your eyes?"

Rose had wondered this too, but thought it best not to ask. "You know what? It happened so long ago I can't remember." Chelsea answered.

Roland pulled out his lute, and began to tune it. "Does anyone have a request?"

One of the men sighed. "Really man? You haven't stopped yet."

"You should feel lucky, normally I charge for these services. Maybe another story about the Hero? I haven't done one about him in a while."

"Ugh, not another trite story about that pretentious bastard." Hardy stated.

"Hero?" Rose asked.

"Yes, you know, the one who- the Hero!" Roland stated.

"But which one? Whisper, Scarlet Robe?"

"I quite like the story about the Hero of Southcliff." Chelsea answered.

"Oh, me too." Rose said.

"No, no, no, I mean the, the new one! The one that went into the Spire?" Roland tried.

"Sorry, I don't think I've heard of him." Rose answered.

"By the Heavens, where have you been for the past twenty years?" Roland asked.

"In a forest?" Rose tried.

"Hmm, I need to educate you, which story, oh I know, eh hem-

_The mouth of evil was left agape,_  
_when the Hero orchestrated a daring esca-ape-_

_It's true it had taken him more than an age,_  
_but at least he had managed to rescue the ma-age-_ "

Hardy scoffed at this, looking away from the bard.

"Well of course, he's not as popular as he always has been." Roland said. "But I can't think bad of him, I happen to have made his aquaintence."

"Here are your drinks fella's." Said the waitress, placing various drinks around the table. Rose took a sniff or two, and a quick sip. The liquid was thick, but was better than some of the other things she's had to drink.

"So you know the Hero then?" Mr. Tombs asked.

"Yes, met him right after he took care of Thag in Bower Lake." Roland said.

"Thag?" Rose asked.

"Yep, he had taken his head clean off." Roland said with a smile. Rose remembered hearing lots of stories about Thag, he was one of the worst Bandits in the country, she remembered the stories she had heard from the gypsies. "Anyway," Roland continued, "I helped show him around the Marketplace in Bowerstone that day, said he'd never been to the market. Always seem to be bumping into him across the land."

"Please, I'd rather not hear anymore about that pretender." Hardy said. "I 'ad some family that worked in the Spire."

"Fine then, I don't mean to offend, only to educate." Roland said. "Only to educate."

"What are you, some kind of teacher?" Mr. Tombs asked.

"I'm the way news get's around sir. Bards don't get paid much, but society would collapse if not for the likes of us. At least, not until they teach everyone how to read, and start handing out books about current events to everyone, like that's gonna happen in our lifetimes."

"Wouldn't it be nice though?" Mr. Tombs said. "Can you ladies read?"

"Yes." Both girls said at once, causing everyone at the table to look at her oddly, though she took no notice as she sipped her drink.

"Uh, so... any news from Bowerstone?" Rose asked.

"I heard there was some kind of commotion in Old Town." Mr. Tombs stated. "Sheriff got was deposed, and they're trying to round up all the orphans, however the orphans don't want to go."

Rose was already trying to concoct some kind of rescue plan for her little brother at this point.

"Why would an orphan not want to go? Food? Shelter?" Hardy asked.

"I don't know, but I've been hearing rumors." Mr. Tombs said.

"Like what?"

"Well simply that the conditions in this orphanage are worse than the street." He said, and he leaned in with his voice low for dramatic effect. "I hear they're putting the kids to work, dangerous stuff, stuff you could lose a finger in. Then, I heard that sometimes the kids will collapse from exaustion, if that happens, they whip them like slaves until they keep working, and if, should they happen to die while they work, they put the bodies in a grinder, and feed it back to the kids as meat pies!"

"THAT'S HORRIBLE!" Rose outcried, causing a brief moment of silence around the table.

"Well, yes indeed that is young girl, but i-it's probably just talk, isn't it?" The Bard asked.

"Y-yeah, I mean, it's not like I've been there, heh, I live in the other part of Bowerstone, probably complete fabrications." Mr. Tombs said.

"I-I'm sorry." Rose said, sitting back down. "I-it's just that my little brother's still in Oldtown. I don't want anything bad happening to him."

"Hmph, well I hope you two find eachother soon. This is a bad time of year to be alone." Hardy said.

"W-well things have been complicated." Rose said, taking another sip from her drink.

"Ye know, I'm going to Bowerstone myself, if you ladies don't mind I'm taking a carriage there, it'd be warmer and safer to come with me. If you want to that is." Mr. Toombs said.

Rose weighed her options for a half-second. There was blasted cold, and relative comfort. But she had pushed her luck with trusting strangers, what with blind gypsies, and juvenile pirates doing stupid things around her.

"We'd love to." Chelsea said.

Rose glared daggers at her, who was imune to the effects, and quickly tried to think up an excuse on the spot.

"Excellent, I think I've just performed my good deed for the year." Mr. Toombs declared happily.

Rose's mental prowess had failed her.

"Cheers then!" Hardy said.

* * *

Rose fell onto the warm bed giggly and happy for some mysterious reason.

"I feel wierd, heh-heh." Rose stated. "What about you?"

"Yeah. I think I'm drunk." Chelsea said taking off her clothes.

"You're drunk!" Rose said in shock.

"You are too." Chelsea said back.

"I am not, I only had... a lot of drinks, that's not that many." Rose said. "Hey, why are you taking you're clothes off? You going to have you're way with me?"

"Only if you want me to." Chelsea said with a giggle.

Rose sat back into the bed, and closed her eyes. "Hey Chelsea, what did happen to you're eyes?"

"Oh, bandits attacked and burned down my village, my eyes were cut out. I swore eternal vengeance, standard fare." Chelsea said.

"Oh that soooo sad!" Rose said.

"What about you? Why are you an orphan?" Chelsea asked, getting underneath her covers.

"Oh, well, we lived in this big house off of the main roads, so whenever we needed something, they had to leave for Bowestone to get it. One day they left and, never returned. Bandits probably killed them. We had to head to Bowestone eventually. Sparrow was too young to really remember our parents. And of course, one day I find myself in a forest with no idea how I got there. I still can't wrap my head around how that happened. Now, I just figure Sparrow and me deserve a better life. So I'm gonna find Sparrow, and we're gonna have a better life. Far from the slums of Bowerstone. Maybe some family will take us in. But I doubt it. I think it'll be best to leave Bowerstone altogether after what's been happening there. Maybe we'll move to some other city. We'll need to work jobs. Maybe we could be bakers? Wouldn't that be nice, a place to stay, some pocket money every week, and all the bread we can eat. You could stay with us too if you wanted. Although, in my mind that'd be a little too slow for you. Maybe we could grow up to be adventurers. Sparrow always loved to hear stories about the old hero's, I didn't know too many of them, so I had to make up a lot of them. I think the two of you would get on nicely. I think Sparrow would love having another big sister around. What do you think Chelsea?"

The only response Rose got was that of gentle snoring.

"You are so mean!" Rose said. "You're just a stupid meanie." With that thought, Rose settled into her covers, and went to sleap herself.

* * *

The following morning Rose and Chelsea got up from their beds, woken up by a grumpy barmaid.

Rose and Chelsea both endured the morning with minor headaches, as they bid farewell to Hardy and Roland. They got onto the horse-drawn carriage that came by the Inn. The drive was pleasant for the most part, with Rose looking at the calm and cold winter scenery.

"What are you reading?" Chelsea asked out of the blue.

"Hmm? Oh, well, it's about the Kings of Old." Mr. Tombs explained. "I find it interesting to see how people were governed in the old days."

"Define old." Rose said.

"Oh, it was written about eighty years ago, so long before anyone's time here. But the records go back to before the fall of the guild. Actually the guy starts off with some stuff about the Archons of the Old Kingdom, but he doesn't have much to go on."

"Anything interesting about it?"

"All the old stuff, back when the monarchy was still around."

"The what?" Rose asked.

"Kings and Queens. It was much more interesting when Knights were taking over from the Heroe's. The book ends with end of the Old Monarchy, and the rise of the nobles and aristocracy."

"The what?"

"Rule by the rich. I don't suppose you'd want a look at it?"

"Why, I don't quite think of myself as a princess." Rose said.

"I don't know. It's good to be well read? Albion's literary landscape may be littered with awful novels, but there are a few gems here and there. Not to mention, in this new age of industry, it'll be the educated folks that are needed."

"I don't see myself making much of a difference in the world." Rose said.

"I think everyone makes a difference." Chelsea said.

"See, that's the way to think." Mr. Tombs said. Just then the carriage stopped. "Hey something wrong out there?"

"Bandits!" The driver said.

"Really? They haven't all died of frostbite yet?" Mr. Tombs asked.

"Do you think we could take them?" Chelsea asked Rose.

"Of course not, I'm good in a fight, and I'm sure you are too, but what weapons do we have between us? A walking stick?"

"Don't worry young girls, I can take care of this." Mr. Tombs said, exiting the carriage.

"Oh hello gentlemen, what are you doing here?"

"Shut up, you want to get out of this alive, hand over all you're valuables." A bandit said.

"All my valuables... sorry, I don't think we have much that you would want."

"Oh really? What makes you say that?"

"Well my book costs a good bit, but I don' think you want that."

"You bet we don't."

"So, you'll just leave us alone, and wait for the next carriage to come along to case them of anything of worth?"

"Hell no. Jimmy over there lost a finger waiting for you guys, so either we rob you, or we kill you."

"Sorry, can't have that." With that, three shots rang out, and screaming and shouting was heard.

"What was that?" Rose asked. After that Mr. Tombs face appeared in the carriage window. "Hello ladies, sorry about that, could you hand me that small bag there?"

Rose did so. "Thank you." Mr. Tombs said, fishing out some bullets from the bag, and revealing a rather shiny turret pistol with three barrels. "Thank you, and you may want to keep your heads down by the way." After that statement a volley of bullets struck the carriage.

"Die you impertinous cretins!" Mr. Tombs yelled at the bandits.

* * *

"So uh, what was that?" Rose asked, once the carriage had begun moving again.

"Oh that? Nothing special." Mr. Tombs said. "Now, where did I put that book?"

"For nothing special, it was sure impressive." Chelsea said.

"Thank you." Mr. Tombs said, still looking for his book.

"Tell us." Rose said. "I've been burned by travelling with strangers enough times this week."

"Well if you must know, I'll tell you. But before you do, I've got a present for you." He fished out something from his pocket, and gave it to rose. It was a gun. "I fished that off of one of the bandits, thought that if you're heading to the bad part of Bowerstone, you could use it."

"Your story." Chelsea said.

"Ah right, I'm a retired Highwayman, keyword being retired." Mr. Tombs said.

"You?" Rose asked.

"Yes. Higwaymanning is a rather profitable business, romantic, sometimes heroic, depends on what happens that day. Helped pay for my cousins education. I worked with bandits occasionaly, but I never killed anyone innocent. Still though, I figured it was time to get out of the proffession. Too many people getting killed, bandit leaders were cleaning house, and getting clocked. So officially I'm retired. Still trying to figure out what to do for a living though."

"Maybe you could be an adventurer?" Rose suggested.

"Weren't you listening girl, I'm trying to get out of that proffession!"

* * *

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me a while to finish. Adressing some slight complaints, I made it an all Rose chapter.

Also, I got Fable 3 last christmas. It was a great game, but it didn't address any of the issues I raised, and, well, personally I would of done somethings different. A bigger more royal and luxurious castle, a proper country to visit, and wage war against, a more present industrial revolution, and I would have liked more towns, or at least another city.

Man, I have something to complain about everything, don't I? Well, I'm a little miffed, I don't think I've mentioned this on my previous stories, but I tried out auditions for our school play, Hairspray, believe it or not. I didn't get a part, but I made a good friend, and we decided to go to a school dance together, but as it turns out, only we and a dozen other people signed up for it, so they had to cancel it.

Anyway, ignoring my perosnal problems, enjoy the chapter, keep reading, and tell me what you think.


	9. Corrupt Guards and Theatre

_dear Diary._

_Yesterday me and the girl I met road with a highwayman. I whould honestly like to know why all these weird things are happening. _

_An insane lord, a blind gypsy, a kid pirate, and then a friendly highwayman. I've been having a wierd week. Actually, evreythings been wierd for months. I'll need to write about all that, later. _

_Anyway, mea nd chelsea are back in bowerstone. Now I have to get back to looking for Sparrow. I reall shouldnt have left earlier. But, I got kidpnapped by a blind gypsy._

_Also, I have a gun._

* * *

Rose finished writing in her diary for the day, and looked at the cityscape.

She could see the buildings of Bowerstone expanding before her, until they yielded to vast snow covered fields. Currently the sky was overcast, with no threat of snow, with the sun hiding inbetween gray clouds.

Chelsea walked up to Rose and joined her, sitting next to her on the crate that Rose was using as a chair.

"So what is that you got that there?" She asked.

"Oh, it's my Diary. Found it in that loon's house. I don't know why he's taken such an interest in me."

"Maybe he really could be your brother?" Chelsea said.

Rose snorted. "Yeah, sure, and I bet he's been to the moon too."

"Speaking of your brother, when are we gonna look for him?"

"I'm thinking after we get set up here." Rose said. Here being the attic of an abandoned house in the poorer part of Bowerstone, Rose had been here a scant few times, when she and Sparrow had to be somewhere other than Old Town for a while. The house had a hole in the roof, giving the two, well Rose, a scenic view of the city. "Then I'm thinking we steal a pie."

"No theft. That is immoral." Chelsea stated.

"Yeah sure, now, I'd like you to help me finsih up setting up this place?"

* * *

Rose walked down busy slightly unfamiliar streets, Chelsea behind her, trying to go about her goal of finding her little brother.

She was having difficulty however, as her stomach was beggining to grumble.

Rose did however discover through her walks in the snowy city, down busy streets, that something was amiss with the town guard. It wasn't something that was spoken directly, more that it was something that was felt. Whispered words close to the walls, shifting gazes, a tense air whenever a guard passed by.

Rose had a mixed opinion of the Guard herself. While they did little to effectively do anthing better in Old Town, they had never done anything make it worse.

These thoughts of authority were derailed however, when she smelt a sumptious pie, laying out to cool on a windowsill. So she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and went to nick it for herself. She was in middle of sneaking up to the windowsill to grab it when she felt a hard thwack on the top of the head. She landed headfirst into the snow, and turned around to see Chelsea, with her walking stick.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" She asked angrily.

"I told you stealing is wrong." She said, as if she were a parent correcting a child.

"Yeah, and how do you suppose we get food, considering we have no money?" Rose asked.

"We make do. I told you I wouldn't tolerate any immoral actions."

Rose paused, and looked Chelsea over carefully. "You know what, you're crazy, and I'm hungry, so... I'm taking it anyway." With that, Rose quickly popped up, grabbed the pie, but was tripped by Chelsea before she took two steps, and landed face first into the pie, with a large amount of it falling on her expensive jacket.

"Oh, look what you've done now!" Rose expclaimed trying to get up. "The pies ruined, and so is my face."

Chelsea simply giggled.

"Don't laugh, I'm very cross with you now! Now I'll go hungry, and I'm a mess! Least if you let me keep it, someone would have gotten to eat it!"

Chelsea just giggled some more.

"Hey you!" A thin, but tall guard with a dark complection called. "You are in trouble missy!"

"See, this man agrees, stealing is bad." Chelsea stated.

"I could choke you right now." Rose said.

"Stealling is a crime." The guard said, looking at a Rose, and her pie covered face with disgust. "I'm afraid I'll have to arrest you."

Rose sighed, and thought up a quick mental list of options for her to use. "But sir, I'm so hungry, I haven't eaten a proper meal forever, and it smelt so good, and, and..."

"Yeah, sure. I don't care." He said rudely.

"You could be nicer about this." Chelsea said.

"Oh don't think I'm letting you get off either. You're just as much a part of this as she is." The guard said.

"What! But I was trying to stop her." Chelsea implored.

"Don't care."

Rose quickly found her appreciation for the Guards of Bowerstone quickly dropping. "Are you sure you can't make an exception for a couple of young girls like us?"

"No."

With that, Rose had gotten down to the last number on her mental checklist.

"Run!" She yelled. And with that, Rose was off, dragging Chelsea along by her hand, darting through the crowds, with the guard trying to follow, and spitting curses at them. It didn't take long to lose the thin man in the crowd.

"Well that was unpleasant." Chelsea stated.

"Unpleasant? You got apple pie all over me fancy coat." Rose complained. "So now I'm hungry and messy."

"I told you not to steal. I detest immoral people."

"So why are you taking the high ground all of a sudden? Maybe I should take you to the graveyard, and leave you there for walking corpses to eat."

"I assure they would be no match for me." Chelsea said with a slght smirk.

"Yeah, whatever." Rose said, fingering her new pistol in her pocket.

"Oi! There you are, stop where you are!" He cried, taking out his shortsword.

"He's got his weapon out." Rose noted, starting to take step backwards.

"He wouldn't use that in a crowd." Chelsea said. A half second later, a gunshot rang from a pistol he held in his hand, and the crowd scattered.

"Time to run!" Rose said, grabbing Chelsea, and running through the quickly dissapearing crowds. Rose quickly dodged into a small alleyway, and worked her way through the mass of barrels and crates, Chelsea's hand still firmly grasped in her, and the guard hot on their coattails.

Rose however, finally managed to lose him, when she burst through one door, and found herself in a large dark room, with a man performing on a lit stage.

"Oh light through yonder window breaks? Is it the sun? No, tis far more fair and more beautiful."

"What's that?" Chelsea asked.

"Oh, we're in a theatre." Rose said, leading them through the isles.

"I've never been in a theatre before." She said.

_"Me neither." _Rose whispered.

"Who be that? Yet another suitor too lazy to come up to my bedroom?" Said the female lead from her balcony. "Aye, unless mine eyes decieve me, another weak fool is trying to win my heart with a handful of fancy words, that he knows not the meaning of." The audience laughed.

At that moment, the guard burst into the theatre, and looked around grumpily. Rose quickly seated herself, and Chelsea next to some mousy kid who almost started to kick up a fuss, until Rose covered his mouth.

"Ah, my fair lady, I be simply too intimidated by your ultimate splendifourus-ness, that I canst call enough a courage to bring myself so close to you!"

"That, and my father's sword has a wide reach, no?"

"No."

"So, thou art a coward, for thou fears woman before he fears the sword."

"No..."

"Tell me, what does it mean to be be more fair and more beautiful that the sun?"

"Huh?"

"You said I was more beautiful and more fair that the sun, what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

_"Are you okay?" _Chelsea asked.

_"Yeah, this kid is just putting up a fuss." _Rose said._ "One second." _She turned to the kid. _"Kid, I'm on the run from the law, and I've got a gun, calm down, or I'll use it." _With that he started squirming.

_"It's immoral to threaten young children."_ Chelsea whispered.

_"Don't you start that again!" _Rose said, shortly before being shushed by someone in the audience.

Rose kept her eye on the guard as he patrolled the small theatre.

"Well, if you can't explain to me you're own words, then you obviously are no match suitable for me."

"No, my dearest sweet one, I am worthy!"

"With your scrawny appearance, thou art obviously not strong like a hero, or knight, of even a common town guard. You can not tell me the meaning of thine own words, so thou art not even literate, or educated, and since you haven't enough gall to enter my house, you are not even rich, or possibly well secured in manners of money, what dost thou possibly have to offer me?"

"My boundless love?"

"Hah, love is always in large supply until it is requested."

"But does love not conquer all?"

"Tell me dear suitor, how is love, an immaterial concept, matter to me?"

"Love does not run out as money will, it will not fade as strength does, and it... hmmm, actually, I don't think intelligence really wears out does it?"

The boy tapped Rose on her shoulder._ "What is it?" _She asked.

"_Can I have my mouth back?_" He asked.

_"Oh, fine, but no yelling or anything." _Rose said. _"By the way, what's the name of this play?"_

_"Marriage of Inconvenience."_

"Oh love, for you I would brave bloody cliffs, I would slay balverines, skin you a dress made from dragon hide if you wish it."

"A spiny little man like you? I think not."

"But-"

"No buts, I don't want either my but, nor your but anywhere in this convesation."

_"By the way-"_ Rose asked the boy.

_"Yes?"_

_"Do you know anything about an orphanage opening up?"_

_"Oh yeah, they're building up one in the newer part of town, near the quay."_

_"Thanks."_

"Y-you were supposed to fall deeply in love with me."

"A declaration of love, and some fancy nonsense words were supposed to capture my heart?"

"Y-Yeah."

"And I suppose you believed you and I wouldst be married within the week then."

"K-kinda."

"If that was thyne plan, it wouldst be much easier to use a love potion then."

With that, the female lead left.

"That wouldstn't be a bad idea." The man murmured.

With that the lights on stage dimmed.

_"What's going on?" _Rose asked the kid.

_"Intermission." _He said.

_"Crap." _

_"Is the guard still here?"_ Chelsea asked.

_"Yep."_

_"Crap."_

_"I think it's time to run." _

_"But if he hasn't seen us, then we'd just be drawing attention to ourselves."_

"Oi! You two hoodlums!" The guard shouted.

"Crap." The girls said simultaneously.

* * *

A couple hours later, girls had worn themselves ragged dodging the guard, but they managed to succeed somewhere around the marketplace. They slowly made their way back to the attic they had spent the last night in, to rest.

"The guard seems awfully hostile here don't they." Chelsea remarked.

"Maybe. I don't know. I don't care. It's just another reason to finally get away from it all." Rose said. "Oh, and don't think I've forgiven you for getting us in trouble back there."

"You were the one-"

"Oh shut it." Rose said. "You know, I don't see what anyone sees in this city. Only the rich ever find anything to enjoy, and everyone else suffers at their expense."

There was a mutual silence between the two for a few moments.

"Let's just go to sleep, and then we'll find Sparrow tomorrow, and maybe then we can leave this blasted city."

* * *

Hello internet. Hows it going.

I want to say stuff, but it's harder than you think. This chapter was going to be longer, but I had a bout of inspiration today about the immediate future of the story, and to better facilitate that, it'll be easier to end this chapter now.

Anyway, please give opinions and such, I know this isn't my best work, or that much happens, but it's still something, right? Right?

-Sincerely SAmaster01


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